


A New Purpose

by ceridwen_2020



Series: The Three Jedi [2]
Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Blood and Violence, Depression, Explicit Sexual Content, F/F, F/M, Gen, Hangover, Loss of Virginity, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Mention of puberty / bodily changes, Mentions contraception, Pickpockets, Political issues across the galaxy, Search for a higher purpose, Sex in a toilet, Sexual Content, Talk about babies / children, Therapy, drinking alcohol
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-07
Updated: 2020-10-07
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:21:20
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 24
Words: 114,981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26874343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ceridwen_2020/pseuds/ceridwen_2020
Summary: After the end of the war with the First Order, the Republic has been restored with Poe Dameron as the new Chancellor. There is much to be done to restore justice, decide what to do with the leaders of the First Order, and reunite the 'Lost children' (ex-stormtroopers) with their families. Poe works closely with his friends, Finn and Rose, as well as the larger bureaucracy, to put into motion his dream of a fairer galaxy, where slavery and exploitation are overcome.In the midst of this, Rey is coming to terms with what happened to her on Exegol and the loss of Ben Solo, who is still missing somewhere in the galaxy. She has to find a new purpose in life with the help of her friends. But what will that be?TW - I've rated this explicit purely because of the sexual content, there is very little violence now that the war is over.
Relationships: Kaydel Ko Connix/Rose Tico, Poe Dameron & Finn & Rey & Rose Tico, Poe Dameron/Finn, Rey & Jannah & Lando Calrissian, Rey & Original Characters, Rey/Ben Solo
Series: The Three Jedi [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1994374
Comments: 5
Kudos: 6





	1. Coming to terms with things

‘So let me get this straight,’ said the Nautolan therapist, leaning back in her chair. There was the hint of a frown etched onto her face, her large dark eyes concentrating hard on Rey’s. ‘After you stabbed the Shadow, it disintegrated and you blacked out.’  
‘That’s right.’  
‘Then, when you woke up, you were somewhere else entirely?’ Through her head tentacles, the therapist was attuned to the subtle shifts and changes in emotion that accompanied Rey’s more neutral facial expressions. It had not taken her long to work out that it was less useful to use facial markers of emotion as evidence in Rey’s case, for she was very adept at hiding her true feelings.  
‘Yes, on Ahch-To.’  
‘Okay. And that’s the island that Luke fled to after his Jedi Temple burnt down?’  
‘Yes.’  
Tired out by all the questions, Rey was sitting in a comfortable chair in Coruscant’s medical centre. The window next to her looked out over an attempt at a garden, clearly made by someone who, in her opinion, had no real appreciation for natural environments. It was too fussy and tidy and Rey was beginning to wish that she had stayed on the Ahch-To, already missing its wild beauty. But even so, she would rather be out there than in here. In front of her, the therapist was sat with a data-pad on her knee, busily typing into it. Rey couldn’t see what she was typing and it was making her anxious. As these sessions always did. For some reason, the therapist thought that dragging up the past would make her feel better. But it never did, it only made her feel worse.  
The room was not helping either. Like the rest of the medical centre, it was decorated in what were assumed to be comforting colours. Soft creams and greys, light blues. The walls were covered in artworks, vague abstract shapes that Rey spent most of the time during her sessions trying to work out what they were supposed to be. After several weeks of therapy she was no closer to understanding what they were meant to represent. The therapist said that was fine, they were meant to represent whatever she wanted them to. The vagueness of the response made her want to throw something, but she always managed to restrain herself. Just about.  
Another thing that made her want to throw something was the therapist’s fixation on Ben. She went on and on about him, when Rey didn’t particularly want to talk about him. It wasn’t that she wanted to forget him, quite the opposite. But she didn’t like the therapist’s attempt to dissect their relationship, as if it was the cause of her pain and distress. Of course it was, but Rey didn’t want to admit it to herself. Neither did she want to talk about Ben with anyone else. She wanted to keep him to herself, to remember his beautiful eyes and soft, sensuous lips, his gentle voice and random bursts of chaotic energy without anyone else passing judgement on him. Because although the therapist had made it clear from the beginning that she was not there to pass judgement, simply to try and understand what Rey had been through in order to help her move forward, her latent inability to understand how Rey had been able to forgive someone who had treated her poorly at the beginning of their relationship meant that Rey had to keep going over old ground. The fact that they had been enemies, on different sides of the war, seemed to count for very little.  
At the moment she was going through, again, what had happened after she and Ben had left Exegol. It sounded far-fetched because it was far-fetched. Rey had not even been able to tell her friends what had happened, and now she was sitting here, talking to a complete stranger about it.  
‘And that is where you found Luke?’ asked the therapist gently, seeing that Rey’s attention was lapsing.  
‘Yes he kept me company whilst I repaired the ship.’  
‘But Luke is… dead?’ The therapist looked back over her notes.  
‘Yes, he appears to me as a spirit. A ghost.’  
‘Okay.’ The therapist clicked something on her data-pad. ‘Anyway, I think that’s enough for today.’ Looking up, she smiled at Rey. ‘You’ll be pleased to know that we’re almost at the end of the session.’  
Rey wondered how her feelings were so transparent, but she remembered the therapist telling her in one of their earlier sessions that she had a particular gift for sensing others’ emotions. ‘It’s not that I don’t want to be here…’  
‘I know,’ said the therapist. ‘Don’t worry, you’re not the most reluctant patient I’ve had, believe me. And talking will get easier with time.’ Making another note on her data-pad, the therapist went on, ‘Before we finish, what have your dreams been like since we last met?’  
Rey thought back over the week. Most of her dreams were hazy now, mere feelings rather than images. ‘I can’t remember them exactly.’  
‘That’s okay,’ said the therapist kindly, giving her a warm smile. ‘Just tell me what you do remember.’  
‘I remember… a feeling of loss. I’m looking for something but I can’t find it, no matter how hard I try. Sometimes I think I can grasp it but then it disappears again.’  
Nodding, the therapist made a note. ‘Do you know what you’re looking for?’  
Ben. ‘No, not really.’  
‘Anything else?’  
‘Um… there’s a voice sometimes.’  
‘Can you remember what it said?’  
I’ll come back for you, Rey. I promise. ‘No, I can’t.’  
There wasn’t much more to say. As she did at the end of each session, the therapist told her that she needed to let go of whatever it was she was clinging to, and, in her professional opinion, that was Ben. Rey said nothing in response, as usual, but the therapist still smiled and said she looked forward to seeing her again next week. And, as usual,, as soon as she was back in her room, Rey burst into tears, unable to cope with the repercussions of bringing up her deepest fears. That Ben was never coming back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story was inspired by my thoughts on where Rey would go after the events of 'A Proper Redemption', especially around whether or not she would automatically want to revive the Jedi Order when she had struggled with being a Jedi, and only knew of other Jedi who had struggled (Luke, Ben). It is mostly focused on Rey, but with hopefully enough of Finn, Rose and Poe to give a sense of what their life might be like after the war is over.
> 
> It was quite a challenge thinking about what 'normal' life would be for Star Wars characters - how they would eat, do their washing, where they would live. What jobs they would have.


	2. The aftermath of the war

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kyp Dala comes to visit Poe and finds out what he has been up to in his first few weeks as Chancellor. Then she goes to visit Rey in the medical centre and finds out that the young Jedi is not quite ready to face the outside world yet.

It was a beautiful day on Coruscant. The pollution was low, the sun was shining, the buildings looked stunning against the backdrop of an intense blue sky. Alone, Kyp Dala walked through the re-named Victory Plaza, finding it surprisingly peaceful and calm after the busy-ness of the shopping and entertainment districts. She could have taken a speeder to the Chancellor’s Office but she wanted to see what was happening to the galaxy’s capital. The rebuilding was nearly finished, the scars of the past incorporated into the tidied up facades, giving a sense of renewal as well as honouring the horrors of the past. It gave Kyp hope. There was a sense that the galaxy was finally recovering, bringing the possibility of peace and prosperity now that the war with the First Order was finally over.  
A few days ago, Kyp had returned from a second visit to Exegol. Finally, she had been able to achieve her dream of helping its people to see that their lives were a lie, to tell them that they could leave the planet, if they wanted, for a new life elsewhere. Despite her fears, the Overseers had caused no trouble, surrendering immediately to the Resistance-led team she travelled with. Already, the fleet of Star Destroyers, and all other remaining ships and munitions produced in their factories, had been destroyed. The Overseers knew that the First Order had been defeated, and Kyp learnt that the Shadow itself had vanished from Exegol, never to be seen again. Indeed, Kyp found the Overseers entirely changed, as if the disappearance of the Shadow had removed its malign influence from their minds. They were no longer the arrogant beings she remembered, but were confused, lost even.  
Now she was on Coruscant with her family, waiting to talk with Chancellor Poe Dameron about the practical issues of re-homing the Overseers and Exegol’s human population. Initially, it had taken a while to be able to meet with him face-to-face, considering everything else that was going on, but Poe had been nothing but helpful about her plan to help the people of Exegol. Now she was going to see him for a second time, a meeting that had already been cancelled twice, but she was hopeful that it would be third time lucky.  
Arriving at the Senate building, she made her way to the elevators after passing through the new security procedures, recently tightened after a group of Vader cultists had tried to storm the building. Reaching the corridor that led directly to the Chancellor’s office, Kyp walked down the long red-walled thoroughfare, glancing at the busts of previous chancellors that lined the walls. It surprised her to see so many non-human faces, reflecting the diversity of the galaxy in which she made her home, so different to the enforced mono-culture of Exegol. There was no one to meet her, so she took a seat on the couch outside the office doors, sifting through the pile of magazines on the low table in front of it to find something to read.  
After ten minutes of waiting, the doors opened and an aide stepped out, a young Twi-lek male. ‘Chancellor Dameron is ready to see you now.’  
‘Thank you.’ Putting her magazine down, Kyp followed the Twi-lek into the office proper. There she found Poe, sat behind the large desk that had belonged to many previous Chancellors, reading a data-pad. His arm was still in a sling, but otherwise he looked well, his dark hair swept back from his handsome features.  
‘Kyp!’ As the aide closed the to doors to the office, Poe got up and came round the desk to give her a warm, one-armed hug. ‘So good to see you.’  
‘I was beginning to wonder if it would ever happen,’ smiled Kyp, taking a seat on a couch that was close to the large window dominating the room.  
‘Yeah, sorry about that,’ said Poe, sitting down opposite her. ‘There was a bit of a panic in the Outer Rim when a rogue Star Destroyer turned up. Fortunately we intercepted it but the threat of the First Order hasn’t gone away entirely yet.’  
‘Are there many of them still at large?’  
‘No, we’ve caught most of them now. Just a few, er, of the more tenacious ones left.’ That included Commander Trach, who seemed to be able to keep one step ahead of the Resistance team on his tail. No one could work out how he was able to do it. ‘Would you like a drink?’  
‘I’m fine,’ said Kyp, folding her hands in her lap. ‘I don’t want to keep you too long. You must be a busy man!’  
‘Hopefully not too busy to be hospitable,’ he grinned, his white teeth sparkling. ‘What will you have?’  
‘I’ll have a tea, if it’s not too much trouble.’  
‘Not at all.’ Poe looked over to his aide, who was sat quietly over at the other side of the office, typing away, staring at a large, opaque screen. ‘Can you get us two teas please, Saran?’  
‘Sure.’ Getting up, Saran disappeared into an antechamber.  
Resting his sore arm more comfortably, Poe looked at Kyp expectantly. ’So, I was going to fill you in on what’s been happening with regards to Exegol. As you said in that excellent report you sent me, most of the humans are willing to leave their planet, although a vocal minority are reluctant. The Overseers are happy to leave, which was to be expected as that was their main condition for supporting the First Order.’  
‘Yes, I don’t think they were fussy about where they ended up either.’  
‘Good, because they won’t actually have much choice in the matter.’ For his part, Poe was pleased to report that the plans to re-home the humans of Exegol were going well. ‘Using your report, myself and Connix have written up a proposal for the Senate where we can present to them the main points. In particular, we’ve identified ten systems where we could distribute established communities from each city into new settlements. In that way we’ll be able to keep everyone who knows each other together.’  
‘That’s brilliant,’ said Kyp, who had been concerned that communities would have to be split up in order not to swamp existing societies, but it seemed that Poe had found a good solution. ‘And the Overseers?’  
‘We’re looking at one of the moons of Coruscant to re-house them, so that we can keep an eye on them,’ said Poe, looking up as the aide returned with their teas. ‘Thanks, Saran.’  
‘Thanks,’ said Kyp, taking her tea. It was served in a plain but beautiful cup, the iridescent glaze catching the subtle light from the globular lamps in the ceiling.  
‘The proposal’s going to be presented to the Senate this afternoon,’ Poe continued, ‘but I’m hoping it will be accepted by most systems, including the ten that we’ve chosen for re-homing. The most controversial aspect will be re-homing the Overseers but I think their inability to reproduce will be an advantage for them. It means that they won’t be seen as a threat anymore.’  
‘They’ve lost everything,’ nodded Kyp, almost feeling sorry for them. ‘I think they realise that too.’  
‘Well, some good ideas have been suggested to me about how they can put their lives to use, which we’ve included in the proposal. I’ll try and remember to send you the details. One of the plans is to get them to run a co-operative of sorts, growing fruit and vegetables that we can ship to those who can’t otherwise grow them. Maybe even a farm.’  
‘Sounds like a great idea,’ agreed Kyp, wondering if that was something that she could get involved with once the scheme had been ratified by the Senate.  
‘It does, doesn’t it,’ nodded Poe, glancing out of the window, ‘and it fits in with our new approach to justice. To think about how we can help those who have wronged us to atone for their crimes and help make the galaxy better, rather than seeking revenge. Nothing good came of that for the New Republic,’ he went on, seeing that Kyp was a sympathetic listener, ‘they were too focused on destroying the remains of the Empire rather than thinking about tackling the problems that have always been with us, even under the Republic. Slavery, the power wielded by the crime syndicates, and the weapons manufacturers. Those who make profits off the misery of others.’  
Kyp could see why Poe made such a compelling speaker and Chancellor; even now she could see the passion in his eyes, the desire to make the galaxy a better place and strengthen the ties between the affluent Core Worlds and the half-forgotten systems in the Mid and Outer Rims.  
‘But to go back to the matter at hand, tell me more about the people who wanted to remain on Exegol.’  
‘There weren’t many from each city,’ said Kyp, ‘but across the ten cities it seemed quite a substantial amount. We talked to them for a long time, trying to see what the advantages for them were. Most of them were scared or resistant to change.’  
‘But they know it would be impossible to keep the cities running without the Overseers?’  
‘We explained that,’ Kyp sighed, remembering all the fraught meetings, trying to convince the naysayers that they would be better off away from Exegol. ‘We told them that the sun was dying, that the core of the planet is unstable now that the Shadow has gone. We don’t really understand the impact it will have, but it’s not likely to be good.’  
‘Hmm, we can’t really force them to leave,’ said Poe, making a note on a data-pad in front of him. ‘Perhaps we can keep one of the cities running, appoint a council of humans to run it and see how they get on?’  
Kyp nodded, ‘They won’t like it but I think that’s the most that they can expect.’  
‘And the other issue is how we’re going to move all those people from Exegol to the rest of the galaxy,’ muttered Poe, looking down the checklist of things he wanted to discuss with Kyp. ‘We’ve got some Star Destroyers that we can use to house people until we’re ready to re-settle them. It’s not ideal, but they’re the only things large enough to transport that amount of people.’  
‘Sounds okay to me,’ agreed Kyp, not sure what the objections might be. ‘It’s only temporary.’  
‘Good! Okay, that’s everything. As I say, we have to see what happens this afternoon with the first proposal but I’ll be arguing strongly for it.’  
‘I’d really appreciate that,’ smiled Kyp, putting her empty cup on the table now that she had finished her drink.  
‘You can come and join me if you like?’ suggested Poe, wondering if Kyp might be interested in seeing the inner workings of the Senate.  
‘Oh, it’s okay,’ said Kyp humbly, ‘I’ll leave the politics to you. I’ve already planned to have a look round Coruscant with my family.’  
‘That’s fine, anyway enough about politics,’ said Poe, remembering that this was meant to be a casual meeting. ‘How are you finding things now that the war is over?’  
‘Things are great,’ said Kyp, crossing her legs. ‘But I have to admit, things are very different to how I expected life outside Exegol to be. I don’t know what I was thinking really. I remember talking to Rey about my ideas, and I must have seemed very naive to her.’  
‘What do you mean?’  
‘I suppose I thought it would be much… much better standards of living for everyone. No poverty or suffering. And no exploitation.’  
Poe nodded, understanding her concerns. ‘That’s what I was saying before, we like to think that the only bad things in the galaxy are the Empire and the First Order. But that’s an incredibly naive perspective. We’re working to try and understand why that might be, why slavery and exploitation have been allowed to flourish in certain places. But it’s gonna take a while, and even longer to tackle some of those problems.’  
‘And you can do that with the new government?’  
‘I think so. We’re following the template of the Republic mostly,’ Poe explained, ‘but hopefully this time we can prevent some of the mistakes that led to the rise of the Empire as well as the First Order. I know I can’t be complacent though, the pressures will be very different.’  
‘But it’s not all bad,’ said Kyp, hoping she did not come across as too negative, or ungrateful. ‘There are far more diverse cultures and species than there were on Exegol, loads more than I could ever have imagined. And so many different planets to visit. It’s amazing!’  
‘It is, isn’t it?’ agreed Poe, picking up a plate to offer her a selection of small cakes and local delicacies. ‘Where are you based at the moment?’  
‘Riosa.’ Kyp took a small, pink morsel topped off with a flower made out of some kind of sweet stuff. ‘Thank you.’  
‘I’m not familiar with Riosa,’ admitted Poe, helping himself to a cake. It was getting towards mid-morning and he was always peckish at this time. ‘What’s it like?’  
‘It’s a nice planet, lots of natural scenery which we like but also cities, which Rendol likes. He’s my partner.’  
‘And you’ve both found jobs?’  
‘Yeah, we’re helping out with a project that tries to bring more of the natural landscape into the city, more greenery, that kind of thing.’  
‘Sounds good,’ agreed Poe, wiping the crumbs from his tunic. ‘I think we need something like that on Coruscant. There’s hardly any green space left on this planet.’  
‘Yeah. it does remind me of Exegol a little bit.’ Kyp paused for a moment wondering if she could ask him a more personal question. Feeling encouraged by Poe’s friendly and open nature, she asked, ‘Do you know what’s happened to Rey and Ben? I’ve not heard from them since I left Exegol and I’m ever so worried about them.’  
‘Well, you’ll be relieved to know that Rey is here on Coruscant,’ said Poe, glad to have a chance to talk about his friends. ‘Come to think of it, when I told her that I was working on the proposal for Exegol, she was asking after you. I think she’d like to see you.’  
‘I’d love to see her too,’ said Kyp enthusiastically. ‘Where is she? Is she working here with you?’  
‘Not, she’s in the medical centre here.’  
‘Why?’  
‘She was in pretty bad shape when she got here. She had an infection from a wound to her arm, severe dehydration, exhaustion… Basically she needed a good, long rest.’  
‘And Ben?’ Kyp was almost too afraid to ask.  
‘No one knows where Ben is,’ said Poe evasively, helping himself to another cake. ‘Not even Rey. I don’t know exactly what happened, but they got separated and Rey ended up on Ahch-To alone. From what the medical droids tell me, Ben’s absence is affecting her recovery.’  
‘When was this?’ asked Kyp, trying hard to hide her distress. It made her feel sad to think something so terrible had happened to both Jedi that one was badly wounded and the other was still missing.  
‘A few weeks ago now.’  
‘I hope Ben’s still alive,’ she said quietly.  
Seeing her expression, Poe felt conflicted. In reality, he had been in contact with Ben a few days before, although Ben had been cagey about where he was located. So he decided to fudge things as much as he could whilst at the same time giving her some hope. ‘I have a feeling he is. Rey certainly thinks he’s alive, and with their connection, I trust her judgement. Certainly,’ he went on carefully, ‘it would be useful to have him here. His knowledge of the First Order was critical to our final strategy, and without him I don’t think we would have been quite so successful. But to be honest, I think it’s better he stays away.’  
‘Why?’  
‘If he turns up… we’ll have to consider his role in the First Order. You know about that, right?’ When Kyp nodded, he went on, ‘Rey hoped he’d have some immunity because of the way in which Snoke manipulated him, but the way some systems are feeling right now, I doubt we could offer it.’  
Kyp sighed. ’I know he did some terrible things, but what he and Rey did on Exegol was amazing. Both of them wanted to help with no thought of return for themselves. They really are what I’ve always thought a Jedi should be.’  
Poe smiled, ‘Although neither of them would be the first to call themselves Jedi.’  
‘I know. That’s the strange thing. They were both struggling with the idea of it, and I don’t know why. Both of them were kind, helpful, compassionate. What a Jedi should be, surely?’  
‘Oh I agree,’ nodded Poe, ‘I’m a massive fan of Rey and Ben. Hopefully one day, the Force will reunite them.’  
Kyp nodded, feeling that it was time for her to go. ‘Anyway, it’s been lovely to talk to you but I think I’ve taken up enough of your time.’  
‘No it’s fine…’ Poe began but stopped when he heard a faint bleeping noise, as if someone was trying to get in contact with him.  
‘Chancellor Dameron?’ Over at his desk, Saran was trying to get Poe’s attention. ‘Sorry to interrupt but they’re ready for you in the studio now.’  
‘Studio?’ As she got to her feet, Kyp looked at Poe with interest.  
Poe smiled apologetically, ‘Yeah, I’m making a broadcast for the HoloNet. Something positive to help keep people geed up.’  
‘Sounds good.’  
‘I hope so,’ said Poe, ‘I’m not a fan of making these things. But people tell me that they’re working so we keep doing them.’ Holding out his arms, he embraced Kyp warmly, saying that she would have to come and visit him again in the future, let him know how she was getting on. ‘I’ll keep you informed about what’s happening about our proposal. As soon as we’ve got the go-ahead, I can have you come back and get stuck in.’  
‘Thank you, I would like that.’ Letting him go, Kyp looked at him for a moment. With his dark hair and eyes, Poe was classically handsome but there was also a casual, slightly rumpled air to him that made him seem approachable than his formidable reputation suggested. She had heard stories about the stunts he had pulled as a reckless young pilot, as well as his role in destroying the First Order, but his down to earth approach made her like him all the more. Eschewing the formal dress of former Chancellors, he was still dressed in military inspired colours, a short khaki tunic and tan trousers, the only concession to formal wear was a light blue sash across his shoulder. Pinned onto it was a badge showing the Resistance logo.  
‘D’you think you’ll go and see Rey, before you head back to Riosa?’ He could see that she was appraising him and he suddenly felt self-conscious, wondering if he had some ganache or cake crumbs on his lip.  
‘Oh, yes, definitely. I have so much to thank her for, I wouldn’t be here otherwise!’  
‘She’ll be glad to see you too. Please give her my love, won’t you.’  
‘I will. Goodbye, Chancellor Dameron!’  
‘Hey, Poe will do.’ He gave her a pretty smile, ‘Thank you Kyp, I hope to see you soon.’  
After he had seen Kyp out of the office, Poe went back over to where Saran was waiting. ‘So, where do you want me?’  
Saran took him to the temporary recording studio that had been set up in one of the nearby offices, a very basic set-up with a camera, microphone, editing equipment and instant access to the HoloNet. The director and producer were waiting for him, brandishing the script that had only just been completed a few hours before. Familiarising himself with its message, he tidied himself up, brushed his dark hair and concealed the dark circles under his eyes with a small bit of make-up, before he went to record his message.  
‘Hello, this is a message from Chancellor Poe Dameron,’ he began, knowing that he needed to speak positively and openly to the galaxy. It had not been that long since he had been elected, and he was well aware that he was still trading off his reputation as a Resistance General and leader, rather than as a political expert. He needed to reassure citizens that he knew what he was doing. In his message, he told the many systems under his jurisdiction that the First Order’s reign of terror was nearly over, except for a couple of rogue ships that would soon be contained. That his aim was to promote the beginning of a new era of peace and prosperity, as well as to answer many of the burning questions that systems had about the rise of the First Order and how it could be prevented from happening ever again.  
‘It will take time to establish a new government and way of working with each other,’ he said, facing the camera confidently, ‘but we will make sure that the events that allowed the First Order to establish a foothold in the Unknown Regions, before spreading out their influence into the wider galaxy, will be examined carefully. We will ensure that our new government is strong, able to withstand internal, as well as external, threats, and that it works for the good of everyone in the galaxy, not just the Core Worlds. But to achieve this, we need to work together, all of us.’ Finishing with a decent attempt at a smile, Poe looked across at the director, ‘Okay?’  
‘That’s a wrap,’ pronounced the director, pleased with the general message.  
‘Don’t you think it’s a bit vague?’ asked Poe, who’d had some input into the script, but most of his team thought that being vague was fine. He couldn’t afford to make too many promises that he wouldn’t be able to keep.  
After several takes of the recording, his team finally pronounced that it was suitable for broadcast after some editing, much to Poe’s relief. By now, he was starving, and he rushed over to the Senate building where he was meeting Finn for lunch. As usual he had forgotten to eat breakfast in his hurry to get to the office that morning, sustaining himself on cakes and biscuits instead. He knew that Finn would be cross with him, and he was right.  
‘You’re not looking after yourself properly,’ Finn chided him when they arrived at the restaurant that Poe had chosen for lunch. It had been relatively easy for Finn to escape from his own vital contribution to the ongoing project that had been christened ‘Reunite’ - where ex-stormtroopers and officers of the First Order were reunited with their families - but even-so, he had felt guilty leaving Rose up to her eyeballs in databases to waltz off for lunch with the Chancellor. But it was such a rare occurrence that he knew Rose would not begrudge him the opportunity to spend time with his love. Well, not openly anyway.  
Security was omni-present around the Chancellor. The restaurant managed to allocate them a table away from prying eyes, and also from the security team itself, although Saran insisted on sitting at the next table with Poe’s other assistant, Jaden. Poe was trying to ignore their existence, but it wasn’t easy.  
‘They’re always watching me,’ he sighed to Finn as they tucked into their main course. Necessity made it a quick meal, but as ever, Poe knew he was incredibly fortunate to still be alive. He knew he should relish every moment he had to spend time with his friends, including Finn. For if Hux’s aim had been better, he would not have been there at all.  
‘We’ve managed to reunite another two squads this week,’ said Finn conversationally as he worked his way through his meal. ‘It really is amazing how well this project is going.’ He looked at Poe with real admiration, ‘I can’t think you enough for giving us the resources to keep it going.’  
‘Don’t thank me, thank the Senate,’ said Poe, taking a long drink, before slamming the glass back down on the table, empty. ‘Hell, I needed that.’  
‘Heavy morning?’  
‘Not really. It’s been good actually. Kyp Dala came to see me, I did another recording for the HoloNet…’  
‘Kyp? That’s Rey’s friend from Exegol, right?’  
‘Yeah, that’s right. Lovely woman, really warm and passionate about making the galaxy a better place. I just wish I had something better to utilise her talents on.’  
‘Does she know about Rey?’  
‘Yes, I told her.’ Poe gestured to the waiter to bring him another drink. ‘Kyp’s going to see her before she goes back to Riosa.’  
‘I wish Rey would hurry up and get better,’ sighed Finn, putting his fork down, emotions that had been building up inside him threatening to pour out now that he had a chance to share them with Poe. ‘She shouldn’t need to be in there anymore but she’s not exactly helping herself.’  
Surprised at his vehemence, Poe couldn’t help laughing, ‘Don’t tell me, Rey’s refusing to do what they want her to do!’  
‘Of course, she is,’ grumbled Finn, ‘it’s all about that bloody Ben Solo. They want her to talk about him, to open up about what happened, but she’s refusing, and they won’t allow her to go until they think that she’s let him go. It’s so frustrating. I told her she doesn’t have to tell them everything, just enough to make them think that she’s getting over him. But she refuses to co-operate.’  
‘Oh Rey, you’re so predictable,’ sighed Poe, nodding to the waiter as his drink arrived. ‘But she’s right in some ways. Why should she get over Ben? They mean everything to each other.’ He looked at Finn searchingly. ‘What if I had died when Hux shot me? Would you be able to get over me in a few weeks?’  
‘No.’ Not wanting to meet Poe’s gaze, Finn was reluctant to admit it but he could remember his own state of mind at the time that Poe had been shot. Seeing him fall to the ground had been terrifying, the thought of losing him unimaginable. He still had dreams where Hux had been a much better shot, which left him feeling anxious and distressed.  
‘And we don’t even have that weird dyad connection to complicate things.’ Poe leaned back in his chair, smiling at the waiter as their empty plates were taken away. ‘Dessert?’  
‘Are we allowed?’  
‘Today, yes,’ said Poe, picking up the relevant menu. ‘This is my treat.’  
Talk turned to Poe’s upcoming projects; he told Finn about his intention to investigate some of the underhand ways in which the arms manufacturers had been able to supply the First Order with ships and weapons despite the dictates of the Military Disarmaments Act. In return, Finn told Poe about his experiences on Canto Bight, how DJ had told him about the profitability of war and how it was in some peoples’ interests to keep the cycle going.  
‘I know Rose is very keen to work on a project like that,’ he told Poe, as they both sipped a milky caf to mark the end of their meal. ‘It’d be right up her street.’  
‘Good. Although I guess she’s more than busy enough at the moment, helping you?’  
‘Yeah but I’m sure she’d find time if she wanted to.’  
‘It’s gonna be a huge project,’ sighed Poe, leaning back in his chair. ‘There’s so many murky goings-on with companies like that. And their links to the crime syndicates is something else we need to explore.’  
Finn remembered Ben saying something similar on Ajan Kloss, ‘Did you get any further in investigating their stranglehold on the Outer Rim?’  
‘A little. I got the Senate to agree that it’s a good idea in practice. I don’t know how much further we’ll get though. I mean, Ben hardly managed to make many inroads despite having infinite power as Supreme Leader, and now I’ve got vested interests actively working against me. It’s not gonna be something that’s resolved in my lifetime, but we can make a start at any rate.’  
‘It would be amazing if you could be the Chancellor to end slavery.’  
‘It would, it would,’ Poe agreed, taking the foil off the chocolate that had come with his caf. ‘Slavery was something that the Republic never properly tackled and it was a real weakness. I know it will be a long and difficult slog, and it’s bound to make me very unpopular in some systems, but I can’t live in a galaxy where slavery is still tolerated, even allowed. It doesn’t seem fair to me that some citizens will never know real freedom. And I struggle to see how slavery’s even needed anymore.’  
Reaching out, Finn took Poe’s hand, it was warm and strong and he felt a rush of emotion, Poe’s feelings as well as his own. ‘It’s a cause that I can get behind. And I know Rose and Rey will too.’  
Walking back to their respective offices, Poe told Finn that he should be able to see him that evening. ‘I’ve got to get this proposal on Exegol through the Senate, but that’s gonna be me done for the day. I’ll leave the rest tomorrow.’  
‘Wow, twice in one day,’ said Finn happily as they made their way through the Senate’s corridors. ‘What have I done to deserve this?’  
‘For being wonderful.’ They had reached the elevators that would take Poe back to his office, where he would need to prepare for the forthcoming visit to the Senate that afternoon. Cupping Finn’s face with his hand, Poe looked at him lovingly, ‘I really appreciate you being here for me, you know that don’t you?’  
‘I’ve got no choice,’ said Finn, mischievously. More quietly he added, ‘And you don’t exactly look after yourself very well at the moment.’  
‘I know.’ Poe sighed, wishing he could leave his work behind and spend the rest of the day with Finn.  
‘Er, Chancellor Dameron,’ said Saran from behind him, sounding anxious. ‘We really need to get back to your office.’  
‘Okay, okay.’ Turning back to Finn, Poe reluctantly said goodbye. ’I’ll see you later. I’ll give you a call when I’m done.’ Reaching for Finn’s hand, he squeezed his fingers gently, knowing that he had to be careful about revealing too much about his relationship with the former Resistance general. For he knew that more unscrupulous opponents of his might use it to their advantage. ‘See you later, buddy.’  
‘Later,’ Finn nodded, watching until Poe had disappeared behind the doors of the Senate before returning to his own office, unable to stop smiling.

The medical centre on Coruscant was located ten blocks to the East away from the Senate, just outside the governmental district. It was a colossal edifice, built of cream-coloured stone, its environs continually busy with patients and their carers, incoming emergency speeders and medical droids. It was set within its own grounds, including some of the only green spaces within the city-planet, its extensive gardens designed to help rehabilitation and recovery. Approaching it on foot, Kyp felt dwarfed by the scale of the building, eerily reminded of the types of constructions that had been favoured by the Overseers.  
Entering the large main entrance hallway, she made a beeline for the reception desk where a long queue snaked tidily inside the temporary barriers that could be altered depending on demand. The eight droids that staffed the desks, however, were extremely efficient and it did not take Kyp as long as she feared to reach the front of the line.  
‘How may I help you?’ asked the droid, polite but disconcertingly featureless.  
‘I’m looking for Rey.’ It was only then that Kyp realised that she did not know if Rey had a family name.  
‘Family name?’  
‘…of Jakku?’  
The droid typed the details into the screen in front of it. ‘Here we are. PTU - 567-990’ it said, printing out the information on a small, see-through flimplast. It handed the flimplast to Kyp and pointed her over towards the left of the entrance hallway, ‘Elevators are that way.’  
‘Thank you.’  
Leaving the desk, Kyp made her way over to the elevators where there was yet another queue to negotiate. Kyp had still not quite got used to the different number of species on Coruscant compared to Exegol, and she tried not to stare at all the different types of beings that were in the queue. Eventually she reached the doors to the elevators and, as soon as one was available, she followed several visitors inside.  
Inside, the elevator was made of smooth metal, there were no buttons to show which floor. Instead, Kyp observed that people were pressing their plastic cards to a screen at the side. As soon as there was an opportunity, she did the same and stood back, quietly, to wait for her floor. As the lift ascended, the various numbers flashed up on the screen until Kyp saw hers - ‘PTU - 567-990.’ The doors opened and she went out. She found herself in a long, white corridor, interspersed at various intervals with photographs of different landscapes. Keeping the card handy, she walked down the corridor to a set of doors, over which was a large sign, ‘Psychological Therapy Unit.’ The doors opened as she approached, and she went inside.  
There was another reception desk and the droid manning it looked up as soon as Kyp entered. ‘Greetings, you are here to see Rey of Jakku?’  
Kyp nodded, both impressed and alarmed with the centre’s surveillance system.  
‘Excellent.’ Getting up, the droid came over, gliding smoothly on its repulsorlifts. ‘You are a friend of Rey’s?’  
‘Yes.’  
‘Excellent. Rey needs as much friendly contact as possible, she has been very depressed since she was admitted here.’  
‘She has?’ Funny, Poe had not mentioned that, perhaps he did not want to alarm her.  
‘Yes, unfortunately she had a severe emotional breakdown on her arrival,’ said the droid in its unfailingly calm way. ‘It seems her experiences in recent weeks have overwhelmed her, both mentally and physically. Bearing that in mind, would you like to see her?’  
‘Please.’ Kyp hoped that Rey had not been too damaged by her experiences on Exegol.  
‘Try to avoid any subjects that may cause her distress.’ The droid handed Kyp a flimplast with a list of difficult subjects printed onto it.  
Immediately Kyp could see Ben’s name was uppermost on the list. Poor Rey, she thought, thinking that it was awful the person she loved was capable of distressing her enough to be a banned subject.  
‘Please, come with me.’  
Following the droid, Kyp was led into a large, white room with ceiling-height windows leading out onto a small, roof-top garden. There was a bed with a nightstand next to it, surrounded by machines quietly humming away, a small couch and table, and a large screen on the wall. It was pleasant enough but there was no personality or character in the bland decor.  
‘Rey, there’s a friend here to see you,’ said the droid gently.  
Rey was stood by the window, dressed in a loose fitting tunic and pants, her hair braided in a simple plait. She was looking outside and she turned to see who had come in. There were tears slipping silently down her face but she smiled when she saw Kyp. ‘Kyp! You’re here!’  
‘I’ll leave you two alone,’ said the droid, ‘please press the help button if you need assistance.’ It left, closing the door behind it.  
‘I can’t believe you’re here!’ Rey was surprised and pleased to see Kyp, and she embraced the older woman tightly. She started to cry again, out of happiness more than anything, and Kyp held her close, stroking her hair.  
‘I’m so glad to see you,’ Kyp was almost crying too, but she quickly wiped her eyes, thinking that she had to be strong for Rey.  
They sat down together on the couch, and Rey asked Kyp if she wanted a drink. ‘I’m fine, I’ve just had one with Poe.’ She looked around her, ‘This is an impressive room.’  
‘Yes,’ agreed Rey, ‘Poe is looking after me very well.’ There was an uneasy silence, and Rey wondered what Poe had told her. ‘Did he tell you about why… why I’m in here.’  
‘A little. He said that you’d been wounded and you needed some time to recover.’ Kyp wondered how much Rey knew herself why she was in there, she did seem very fragile.  
‘I was having nightmares,’ sighed Rey, leaning back against the cushions. The therapist had told her that she needed to talk about what had happened to her, to help the healing process. But it was the last thing that she wanted to do, and she struggled with it. ‘About what happened to me and… and to Ben.’  
At the mention of Ben’s name, Kyp noticed that Rey’s eyes immediately welled up. She handed her a tissue. ‘You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.’  
‘I need to,’ said Rey miserably, blowing her nose. ‘The therapist told me it’s the only way I’ll get better.’  
Kyp quickly sat on the list that she’d been given by the droid. Rey’s words contradicted its advice, but perhaps it was okay to talk about those things if she brought them up herself. ‘Poe told me that nobody knows where Ben is.’  
Feeling miserable, Rey sniffed. ‘We got split up. I think he got away from Exegol, but… I don’t know. I think he’s alive somewhere… I feel him sometimes.’ She trailed off again, not sure what to say. ‘It all seems like a bad dream.’  
Kyp didn’t know what to say either, seeing Rey so traumatised by her experiences. ‘You’re here now,’ she said, reaching out to squeeze her hand, ‘you’re safe.’  
‘I am.’ A single tear dripped down her nose, ‘But what about Ben? He should be here too.’  
‘Ben’ll be fine. He’s a fighter.’  
‘Yes. I suppose he is.’ It was the same as Luke had said, but the days dragged on inside the medical centre and she was beginning to despair of ever being let out.  
‘Besides,’ Kyp went on, not wanting to dwell on Ben too much for Rey’s sake, ‘From what Poe said, I don’t think it would be possible for him to come here. Without being arrested.’  
‘Finn and Rose said the same,’ murmured Rey. But she couldn’t hold it together for long and soon she was crying again.  
Awkwardly, Kyp held her close. ’You love Ben very much, don’t you?’  
‘I do,’ Rey admitted, wiping her eyes on her sleeve. ‘I mean, I always did but… I didn’t realise it properly until I lost him.’  
‘And Ben loves you too,’ said Kyp reassuringly. ‘It was kinda obvious, even when I didn’t know you both that well. I bet he’s doing all he can to get back to you.’  
‘I know he will.’ Rey pulled herself together, ‘He promised.’  
Seeing that talking about Ben only upset her, Kyp decided to try another line of conversation, ‘The kids would love to see you again, when you’re better, that is.’  
‘How are they?’  
‘Doing really well,’ replied Kyp, settling back into the couch. ‘We’re on Riosa at the moment. The kids are settled into school, we’ve all found jobs to keep us going until…’  
‘Until what?’  
Kyp smiled, ‘Until I find something better, I suppose. It’s odd, I always thought that the wider galaxy would be the perfect place, you know? Low crime, no exploitation, peaceful. But I can’t believe how naive I was! There’s just as many problems here as there were on Exegol. And don’t get me started on slavery… well, let’s just say, as soon as I find my cause, I will be happy. There are people who need help across the galaxy, it’s just finding where I’m needed the most.’  
Rey smiled, ‘You’ll never give up wanting to help others, will you?’  
‘No, not as long as there are people who need my help.’  
‘Have you been back to Exegol?’ Rey asked, remembering that Kyp had wanted to help her people understand that a better life for them could exist elsewhere.  
‘Yes, I just got back a fews day ago from there actually. Now that the Shadow’s gone, the planet is dying and it was pretty easy to convince most people of the need to leave. Poe’s putting his plan through the Senate this afternoon, actually.’  
‘Where will they go to?’  
‘Poe’s hoping to spread them across several different systems,’ explained Kyp. ‘He’s trying to keep people from the same cities together where he can and all he has to do now is to convince the Senate. He’s been really sensitive about it.’  
‘And what about the Overseers?’  
‘Poe wants to keep them close to Coruscant, so he’s looking at settling them on Corvax 2. It’s really weird,’ she went on, ‘away from the Shadow they’ve changed utterly. They want to help, and Poe’s thinking of something meaningful that they can do with the time they’ve got left.’  
‘D’you think they’ll find peace?’  
‘I think so. They seem to have come to terms with the fact that their species will die out.’  
They talked for a while longer, until visiting time was up. By the time Kyp was ready to leave, Rey looked visibly brighter, and some of the colour had returned to her cheeks, which made Kyp feel much better.  
‘Thank you for coming,’ said Rey, as she walked Kyp over to the door, ‘It’s been so good to see you. To know that you’re okay.’  
‘You too,’ said Kyp, holding her hands tightly. ‘You get better, okay?’  
‘I will.’  
‘I’m heading back to Riosa tonight, but we’ll see each other again, won’t we?’  
‘Of course we will. I’ll come and visit you, after they’ve discharged me. Give the children my love. Oh and Rendol of course!’  
‘He sends his love too.’ It was Kyp’s turn to start crying and they embraced again. ‘Oh dear, look at me,’ sighed Kyp as she wiped her eyes, ‘I don't think I’m helping you very much.’  
‘Of course you are,’ smiled Rey, leaning forward to kiss Kyp on the cheek. ‘Just coming to see me is enough. I’m so glad that you got back to Exegol and… and everything’s alright.’  
They held each other tight for a few moments more, then it was time for Kyp to leave. ’Goodbye, Rey.’  
‘Goodbye, Kyp. Safe journey.’  
‘Thanks! Take care of yourself, you hear me?’  
‘I will.’ Remaining by the door, Rey watched as Kyp walked away down the corridor, listening to the faint hum of the machines that had become her constant backdrop since she had arrived on Coruscant.


	3. A first time for everything

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kyp's visit leaves Rey upset and finding it difficult to sleep so she tries to reach out to Ben in the Force. Amazingly it works and they see each other for the first time since they faced the Shadow together in the Netherworld. But Ben does not have good news, he thinks it will be better if they remain apart so that he can come to terms with his past and work out what his new purpose will be, something that Rey knows that she also needs to do. They have a passionate encounter with leads to some experimentation, and they lose their virginity to each other.

It wasn’t Kyp’s fault, but her visit had stirred up difficult memories and that night Rey found it impossible to sleep, even after a relaxing bath and the obligatory sleeping draught administered by the droid. After tossing and turning for what seemed like hours, she finally admitted defeat and sat up, turning on the small lamp next to her bed. She picked up the data-book lying on the nightstand and, putting it on, she tried to read but her eyes refused to focus and it was not long before she gave up and put the book down again.  
Lying back down on her pillow, Rey lay still, willing herself to fall back to sleep. She knew that she should get up and ask the droid for a bigger dose of something to help her sleep, but she was reluctant. Without meaning to, her thoughts drifted back to Ben. She desperately needed to see him, to know that he was alive. She wondered what he was doing at the moment. Did he think of her as much as she thought about him? Although she knew why he was unlikely to come to Coruscant, she couldn’t help feeling let down. After all, he had promised to find her and here she was, all alone. No, you’re not alone, she corrected herself. She had her friends. But like before, before she had even known that she was part of a dyad, she couldn’t help feeling that there was something missing, an emptiness inside that nagged away at her.  
Sitting up, she decided to try and see if she could find Ben’s imprint in the Force. Just enough to know that he was out there somewhere. She had tried several times to reach him before and not found anything, but it wouldn’t hurt to try one more time, would it?  
Checking that the medical droid was at its desk outside, she made sure that the privacy curtain was up on the door and sat down in the centre of the bed. Crossing her legs and closing her eyes, she allowed her mind to wander, away from the medical centre, away from Coruscant and into the unfathomable reaches of open space. Following the vast interconnected webs of energy that made up the Force. As she drifted along its threads, she sensed many emotions coming from the life surrounding her - happiness, despair, hope, longing - emotions that fed into her desire to find Ben, to feel his presence in the Force again, even if it was only fleeting. For a long time she let her mind roam and she was just beginning to give up hope when eventually she grasped something, something that reminded her of Ben. It was faint, clearly millions of light years away, but it became increasingly substantial the more she pursued it. A bright, chaotic energy that tossed and tumbled with intensity; a sensation of light shot through with threads of darkness.  
Ben?  
She called out to him, wondering if he could hear her.  
There was a long silence. Then, she couldn’t explain how it happened but she felt a presence beside her. Someone familiar, breathing softly, smelling faintly of sweat. She didn’t dare open her eyes in case it wasn’t real, only her imagination. Instead she whispered his name again, ‘Ben?’  
‘I’m here.’  
She reached out her hand.  
Warm fingers touched her own and she clasped them tightly, feeling the sharp jolt in her body as their connection reignited across the stars. Slowly, she opened her eyes to see that Ben was indeed sat beside her, gazing at her intently from the beautiful eyes that she had missed so much. With a sob, she threw herself into his arms, weeping openly and with abandon whilst he held her tightly, his cheek pressed against her hair.  
‘I missed you so much,’ she murmured into his sweater, crushed against his chest.  
‘Where are you?’ Like Rey, he’d struggled to find her presence through the Force until that very moment, when she seemed to have burst more brightly into his consciousness than ever before.  
‘The medical centre. On Coruscant.’ In the bland surroundings of her room, he seemed to exist with an unnatural intensity. Nothing else mattered except for him.  
‘Why?’ He’d suspected that she was on Coruscant but the demands for retribution from the various star systems damaged and exploited by the First Order had made him reluctant to go there any time soon.  
‘I’ve not been well.’  
He was shocked to hear it, and he kissed her forehead. ‘I’m sorry I’ve not been there for you.’  
She could feel his regret, and she tried not to cry, not wanting to ruin the time that they had together. Pleasurable feelings trickled through her as his fingers worked their way through her hair. ’Where are you?’  
He swallowed, knowing it was going to be hard to tell her what he needed to. ‘Rey…’  
‘You’re not coming back, are you?’ Somehow she knew. It was obvious why they were still apart, and that it would be staying that way.  
‘I can’t. Not yet.’  
‘Why? You promised!’ She started to cry again.  
‘I know I did. But things aren’t that simple.’ He looked at her searchingly. ‘You must have seen the demands for retribution.’  
‘Poe won’t go down that route,’ she started to say but had to stop, hardly able to speak as she hiccuped, the tears coming thick and fast.  
‘Maybe.’ He felt awful, knowing what he was going to say. ‘But there’s something else. I know it won’t be easy for you to hear this, but please, there’s something I need to do.’  
There was something in his voice that made Rey realise that she needed to prepare herself for the worst. ‘What?’  
‘Ever since we found each other, our destinies have been joined together,’ he began, hesitantly. ‘We’re affected by each other’s emotions. We hear each other’s thoughts.’ He smiled, ‘I don’t know where I end and you begin half the time.’  
‘And that’s a bad thing?’  
‘It’s not bad, no,’ he assured her. ‘But it does make it difficult to know who we are. As individuals.’  
Her heart filled with sadness. ‘You need to be away from me, is that what you’re going to say?’  
‘Yes.’ There was no point lying to her. He never had, and he didn’t intend to start doing it.  
‘Why?’ She couldn’t understand. She couldn’t imagine being without him after all that they had been through.  
‘It won’t be forever,’ he tried to reassure her, continuing to stroke her hair. ‘I need to find out who I am - what I’m capable of,’ he went on, knowing that there was no good way to explain it. ‘I need to work out who Ben Solo really is - who I could have been if I hadn’t wasted most of my life. And I need to do more to heal the pain that I’ve helped to create in the galaxy.’ She started to speak but he shook his head. ‘I know you think I’ve done enough by helping the Resistance and helping Kyp. But it’s not enough. Not for me.’  
Reluctantly, Rey realised that the therapist was right, she had to let Ben go. She had been stubborn, refusing to admit it, but now, ironically, it was Ben himself who was giving her the permission to do it. If he came back to Coruscant, he would be tried, sentenced, and punished for his part in the First Order’s domination of the galaxy. Even if by some miracle the courts believed the part that Snoke played in his manipulation, and he managed to escape from such a fate, it was unlikely that he would be allowed to live his life in the way that he wanted. As the therapist had told her, if she loved Ben then she would allow him to be free. It was just as the Jedi said, she had to love without selfishness, without attachments. And letting Ben go, letting him be free to pursue his need to make things right after years of being trapped in the darkness was the right thing to do. Perhaps their love had only meant to be fleeting, enough to bring them together to save the galaxy but then dying out as the Force rebalanced itself. But to her it did not feel fleeting. Even now she ached to be with him.   
‘Okay,’ she said eventually, still reluctant to let him go but knowing that she needed to, for her own sake as well as his. It would give her a much-needed chance to find herself. She had gone from a hopeless situation, waiting for her parents on Jakku, to being swept up in the realities and trauma of war. ’But you better come back when you’re done.’  
‘Of course I will.’ He rested his cheek against her hair, breathing in its scent. ‘Believe it or not, this is hard for me too.’  
Gathering herself together, she pulled away from him slightly so that she could look into his eyes, wide and soulful in his maddeningly calm face. But as she gazed at him, she began to see that he wasn’t calm, that he was just as terrified as she was about the decision he was making. ‘You’re an idiot, Ben Solo.’  
‘But you already knew that.’ Brushing her hair away from her beautiful face, he said, ‘And you still want to be with me?’  
‘I love you,’ she said simply.  
He smiled, desperate to kiss her pretty mouth. ’We’ll see each other again.’  
‘I’ll hold you to that.’  
‘I know I’m being selfish, expecting you to go along with my decision, and I’m sorry, I really am. But if I don’t do this, I’ll always regret it.’ Ben’s mind was working overtime, trying to justify the decision he’d made, a decision that even he was uncertain about. ‘I know I will.’  
‘You need to do what you feel is right.’  
‘That’s just it,’ he sighed, ‘I don’t know if it is right.’  
Hesitantly, she reached up and started to trace, with her fingers, the scar that ran down the side of his face and onto his neck. It was far less visible than before, but still a reminder of their tumultuous relationship. She marvelled at how far they had come; once she had hated him almost with the same amount of passion as the desire that was now stirring inside her.  
‘I don’t expect you to wait for me,’ he murmured, greatly affected by the touch of her fingers on his skin.  
‘What do you mean?’  
‘If you find someone else you want to be with… you should be with them.’  
‘Like who?’ Rey couldn’t understand what he was talking about.  
‘I don’t know,’ he said in exasperation, ‘there must be hundreds of attractive people on Coruscant…’  
‘I don’t know, I’ve not looked,’ she frowned at him.  
‘… people who know what they’re doing with their life.’ Not someone who wants to leave the most amazing girl they’ve ever met to go on some bizarre quest to find themselves.  
‘I don’t want anyone else.’ Wondering if their connection was strong enough, she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his mouth experimentally, to see what would happen. It was no less intense than if they had been together physically and she marvelled, momentarily, at the way in which their bond manifested itself. Then she was swept up in her feelings, in the bittersweet realisation that this might be the last time, for a long time, that she could be with him. At first, their kisses were hesitant, soft and sweet, getting used to each other again. But as the sparks ignited inside, the flames spreading outwards through her body, Rey found herself pushing harder against him, her lips almost bruised by the desire that stirred within her. She forgot where she was, forgot that they were not even in the same space, it seemed so real as his hands caressed her shoulders and ran through her hair. Straddling him, her hands found the edges of his sweater, tugging at it.  
Instinctively he knew what she wanted and he ducked his head away, so that she could remove it. But she could not be without him for long, and she kissed him again, urgently, with a fervour that she did not even know was inside her, running her hands over the warm skin of his chest, feeling the scars that marked him beneath her searching fingers.  
‘Rey?’ Ben could barely breathe, her need for him overwhelmed him, even with the force of his long suppressed desire for her.  
‘Yes?’ Her lips lingered on his, her nose pressed up against his face, unable to tear herself away. She wanted him to touch her all over, to respond to the intense need for him that his love had ignited inside of her.  
‘I’ve not ever…’ he stopped, unsure what he wanted to say. To tell her that he knew no expression of love other than he had already given her? That he really did not know what he was doing?  
‘Neither have I,’ she murmured softly, sensing his anxiety. There was always one thing that she had fiercely protected when she was alone on Jakku. Then, she had clung onto her virtue with a steely determination, now she could not care less.  
‘I’m not sure I know what to do,’ he confessed, not quite trusting his instincts, but knowing that his head was making things unnecessarily complicated, as it always did.   
‘What do you want to do?’ Pressed up against his chest, she could feel his heart clamouring through her pyjamas. He was more nervous than she was.  
For an answer, he lay back on the bed, pulling her down on top of him. Rey grinned, pressing her mouth to his again as his hands found their way inside her top. But then he stopped, seemingly uncertain. ‘What is it?’  
‘Tell me where to touch you,’ he said huskily, wanting to make sure that he wasn’t taking liberties now that she was finally in his arms.  
‘Everywhere,’ she grinned, trying to put him at ease. ‘I’m not fussy.’   
With his help, she pulled off her clothes, and the remainder of his, wanting to feel every inch of him against her, sighing deeply with pleasure as he sprinkled fervent kisses down her neck and onto her shoulders. But then she felt him hesitate again, ‘What is it?’  
‘I… I don’t know.’ He felt out of his depth and he didn’t like it. Despite her enthusiasm, he was still amazed that she even wanted to kiss him, let alone give him full reign over her body. The anxiety that he wouldn’t do things right, or would get something wrong, was threatening to remove any pleasure he might have found with her in the moment.  
‘It’s okay.’ They lay together on the bed, trying to unpick what the issue was. Sensing a myriad of thoughts churning around in his overheated mind, Rey asked, ‘Are you worried about hurting me?’  
‘A little bit.’  
‘I’m very robust,’ she pointed out, much to his amusement.  
‘I know you are but… this is different.’  
‘Perhaps it’s your Jedi training kicking in?’ she went on.  
‘What?’  
‘No attachments.’  
He laughed. ‘When I was nine, right before they made me go away, my dad sat me down and said in that way of his, “Son, I’m going to tell you about how babies are made.” It was obvious that Leia had made him do it and it was so embarrassing. I remember sitting there, not daring to look at him whilst he said, “See that thing in your pants? It will have a life of its own, and your job is to control it.” It really was mortifying.’  
Rey sniggered, he even did Han’s voice perfectly.  
‘Add to that the Jedi’s rules about love, and Snoke telling me it was my biggest weakness… I’m terrified.’ Sighing, he looked at her regretfully. ‘I’m sorry my head’s such a mess.’  
‘You’re not a mess,’ she reassured him, ‘it’s okay to be nervous. But what’s the worst that can happen? It’s not like a load of Force ghosts are going to barge in here…’  
He couldn’t help himself. ‘Luke showed up that time when we were only holding hands.’  
Rey started laughing, imagining an army of Force Ghosts marching in, demanding that they put their clothes back on. ‘Okay’ she said, massaging his shoulders, trying to lessen the tension she felt there. She remembered all the times that she had been confused about her feelings for him, and how patient he had been. ‘It’s fine. If you want, we can just cuddle.’  
He looked at her as if she had said something strange. ’Where’s the fun in that?’   
‘I like cuddling,’ she said defensively, putting her arms around his neck.  
‘And I like cuddling too,’ he assured her, kissing her nose. ‘It just seems a waste… y’know. Now we’re here. Both naked.’  
‘I thought…’ She stopped, seeing something new in his eyes, a glint of confidence returning.  
’I do want you,’ he murmured, manoeuvring her carefully so that he was above her, pressing his lips down her neck and towards her chest, cooling her hot skin with tender kisses. What had he said to her on Endor? Sometimes the best thing to do was throw caution to the wind and see what happened. So he did, letting Rey’s enthusiasm pull him along with her, letting her guide him. ‘Where do you want me?’  
Rey said nothing, not trusting her feelings to be committed into mere words. Instead, she took his hand and pushed it down to where she ached for him the most. Between her legs, She gasped as his fingers grazed, then found the most sensitive place inside there, sending tingles of excitement throughout her whole body, spreading out from its epicentre deep inside her.  
’Is that good?’ He could already feel the waves of intensity that ran through her, reflecting back through their connection. He could feel everything that she felt, and he knew that it would be the same for her.  
‘Yes,’ was all she managed to say, absorbed in the delicious warmth that was spreading between her legs. She pulled him back up towards her mouth so she could kiss him, before whispering in his ear, ‘Where’s good for you?’  
‘Look down,’ he murmured, his lips following the curve of her neck.  
Rey’s eyes wandered down his body. As a young girl, she had picked up a few things from some of the older women at Niima Outpost who had taken her under their wing. They had helped her through her bodily changes, provided her with some rudimentary ideas about the differences between humans (as well as some of the other creatures that inhabited Jakku) and given her the basics as to how people might express their love for one another. The women had warned her against being too friendly with male scavengers, telling her that they were ‘only after one thing,’ advice that had kept her safe. She owed a great debt to those women. But if the women had one failing, it was that they had not told her much about the act itself. But she was learning quickly. Women’s parts were all neat and tucked away, whilst men’s parts were… well pretty obvious when they needed attention. And so it was with Ben. Yet, it was hard to concentrate on him when her own feelings were so all-consuming, he had not stopped caressing her and it was with a shaky hand that she reached out for what she thought he meant, her fingers closing around the erect appendage that marked the greatest difference that she knew of between human men and women.  
‘Mmm, I like that,’ he whispered appreciatively. Everything was as new for him as it was for her, he knew very little about his own body, and what it was capable of. With Rey’s clumsy, but heart-felt, caresses of him, and his uncertain, but steadily improving, caresses of her, their connection sparked and sizzled, growing in magnitude as the tension built and built.   
Soon Rey was panting heavily, unable to stand it any longer, thinking she might burst from the effort. But her body showed no signs of slowing down, the sensations created by the touch of his fingers nearly driving her wild with desire. Not knowing what to do with herself, she clutched at him tightly just in time for everything to go into overload, reaching its delicious peak then sliding back down again, leaving her shuddering and shocked that her body could produce such a response.  
‘Okay?’ He held her close as she trembled.  
‘Yes.’ Rey took a deep breath, trying to give the semblance of normality. ‘Did you feel it too?’  
‘Sure did.’ The only thing he could equate it to was the exhilaration of flying a ship into a dangerous situation; the nervous anticipation, the excitement and tension, the almost unbearable build-up as the manoeuvre was nearly completed and then the release as it was over, reaching new heights of amazing. But of course even that did not come close.  
‘I… I didn’t even know I had that in me.’ Rey felt perplexed, wondering what possible reason there was for bestowing such a reaction within the human body. But it was clearly addictive, already she was craving it again.  
‘You can have something else in you, if you like.’  
Rey couldn’t help sniggering, ‘Where did that come from?’  
Ben smiled, embarrassed. ‘That one was all mine unfortunately. But,’ he went on, stroking his fingers along the side of her stomach, down to her hips, following the curves, ‘the offer still stands.’   
Rey looked down at his cock. ‘That’s supposed to go in me?’  
‘In theory,’ replied Ben, who knew only a little bit more about love-making than Rey did, and was far from confident. He was almost shaking, unsure whether he was sick from anxiety or from excitement.   
At that moment, she wanted Ben, needed him, more than anything else in the whole galaxy. Having him inside of her seemed the purest expression of that need. ‘Come on, then.’  
He smiled at her enthusiasm, remembering that not so long ago she had been embarrassed to see him undressed. Encouraging her to sit astride him, he leaned back against the headrest, taking a couple of attempts to penetrate her, mostly due to lack of expertise. At first, Rey flinched with the strangeness of it all, then when it eventually did go in, feeling a sharp stab of pain.  
‘What?’ Ben felt it too, wondering what had happened.  
‘It’s okay, really.’ She covered him with kisses.  
‘You’re sure?’  
‘Yes.’ Rey could hardly speak, feeling yet another layer had been added to their connection; a connection that had started with the merest touch of hands and grown to encompass the wider webs of energy that united them through the Force, making them physically, and mentally, manifest to each other across space.  
Gently, they moved together, heightening their mutual pleasure, both magnified and intensified by their connection through the Force. Rey kept her eyes on Ben, not daring to look at anything else, in case it broke the spell between them. It helped her to focus, to ignore the distractions of the world around them and focus only on him, and the interaction between their bodies.  
‘My love.’ As the fire inside of them both took hold, Ben no longer knew what he was anymore - he was not the person called Ben Solo but an amorphous, seething mass of emotion, a raging inferno of desire and longing. Barely knowing what he was doing, he clasped Rey to him, needing to feel her mouth on his, to feel the kisses that burned like flames upon his fevered skin.  
The tension built and built and built between them, until finally… finally it exploded in a burst of intense rapture that made both of them cry out the other’s name. As the room dissolved around her, Rey felt as though the particles that made up her body, each one bright with the light of the Force, began to move apart, spinning faster and faster to join the particles that had once made up Ben in a whirl of movement. The boundaries between her, Ben, and the space between them blurred, until it all became one enormous peculiarity, sucking in light, heat, emotion and energy, churning them all up together until it split apart again, to form her, and Ben, anew. In the next moment, she felt herself again, a person, whole, but not quite the same; there was a part of him that had been left in her, and she knew that a part of her had been left within him. They were truly a dyad, united in the Force and in each other.  
For a long time after, they lay together, their bodies intertwined, naked both physically and mentally, having lost any last inhibitions that might exist between them. Rey felt a mixture of feelings; elation, relief, and a deep feeling of love that she knew would endure beyond any separation with Ben. They belonged to each other, not because of destiny but because they had chosen to be. It truly was a bond that transcended space and time, but it had also grown beyond its dangerous, even tragic, beginnings.   
‘I’ve never felt so disgusting,’ sighed Ben, only half in jest. He was covered in sweat, and other bodily things, but for once he did not care. He looked deeply into Rey’s eyes, captivated by their beauty, but more than that, he could see clearly the love that she felt for him within them. ‘You like making things difficult for me, don’t you?’  
‘What’s that?’ Delicately, she reached forward and pressed a kiss to his nose.  
‘Expecting me to be able to leave you, now we’ve…’ he stopped, knowing it was pointless to even say it.  
‘I don’t want you to forget me,’ she grinned.  
‘As if I ever could.’ Gently, he traced a line with his fingers along her back, admiring the strength that lay beneath her deceptively fragile-looking frame, reaching forwards to sprinkle kisses on the space between her neck and her shoulder, feeling her body respond to him immediately.  
Unable to help herself, Rey pressed herself against him but then she gave a huge yawn, her brain trying to tell her that she was exhausted.  
‘You’re tired,’ Ben noticed, pausing to study her face.  
‘Don’t stop,’ she whispered, prepared to fight sleep to the end if it meant he would still be there. Although she was tired, her desire for him was far stronger and she sighed with pleasure as he indulged her once more, his own body eager for her. This time, things were easier, less clumsy, more sensuous. More relaxed now that they knew each other’s bodies intimately, but no less passionate.  
‘I think we’ve got this now,’ said Ben afterwards, cradling her against his chest.  
‘I don’t want you to leave.’ It was getting harder and harder for her eyes to stay open.  
‘I know.’ He felt anxious now that he was really was going to leave her. A decision of his own making. Was he being an idiot? Only time would tell.  
For Rey’s part, she conversely felt more secure about where things were headed. With the way in which their connection worked, they did not have to be in the same place, even on the same planet, to be with each other. ‘You don’t have to be alone the whole time, do you?’  
‘Hmm?’ He stroked her hair, tangling his fingers up in the soft waves.  
‘You can come and see me. Can’t you?’  
He raised his brows quizzically; it did rather negate the idea of him finding himself without her as a distraction. But if he was being honest, he wasn’t even sure himself that he could go through with it. ‘I don’t see why not. But give me a bit of time first.’  
‘Of course.’ She gazed into his dark eyes, knowing that she would miss every inch of him. ’You won’t be here when I wake up, will you?’  
‘Don’t worry about that yet,’ he said tenderly, cupping her chin with his hand, ‘I’m here with you now.’ He knew he would hate having to say goodbye to her, so slipping away when she was asleep seemed cowardly, but it was the only way he could manage it. Kissing her, he said meaningfully, ‘I love you.’  
‘I love you too.’ Happily, she nestled against him, feeling the warmth of his skin and the smell of sweat that still clung to him, mingled with the reminders of their communion. The steady beat of his heart was reassuring and constant, like his love for her.  
‘I’ll always be with you, Rey,’ he promised, his lips close to her ear now as she felt herself losing consciousness, ‘always.’  
It was dawn when she awoke, the steady hum of the skyways just getting going outside as the sun rose behind the tall skyscrapers. Opening her eyes, she was not surprised to find herself alone, the pillow next to her showing no signs of Ben’s presence. Tears started in her eyes but there was something else there instead, and she reached over to pick it up.  
It was a piece of paper, folded over and tied with a red ribbon. Untying the ribbon, she opened up the paper to find it was a note, written by hand in a relaxed, looping hand. Blinking several times, and wiping her eyes to clear them, she sat up, glancing down over the words to find that it was a poem:

My heart is not my own, I leave it here with you  
To cherish until my return  
Do with it as you will.  
My love, I promise you  
My thoughts are with you everyday.  
I look to the sky and I see your beauty there;  
Your breath haunts me on the wind  
Your tears flow in the rivers. As do mine.


	4. Rey gets better

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After her Force bond with Ben, Rey feels that she can finally let him go and she is discharged from the medical centre. Finn and Rose come to collect her, and they bump into the former Supreme Leader Hux on the way out. They can see that he has changed greatly from the arrogant leader of the First Order. Moving into a new apartment, she spends a happy afternoon with her friends, feeling a new chapter is opening in her life.

Finn’s office, that he shared with Rose, was located in the middle of the range of buildings that surrounded the Senate proper, a large-ish, relatively bland space that was nonetheless open and filled with natural light thanks to the wall of windows that looked out over towards the central plaza. It had become his second home since he had arrived on Coruscant, due to the amount of hours he spent there, glued to his computer screen, working with the many ex-stormtroopers that were contacting him and his team in the hope of being reunited with their families. It was a long-winded but fulfilling task, especially as Finn often got to accompany his clients when they went to visit their lost families. Whilst not everyone that came to see him and his team wanted to meet their families, they were mostly in the minority. Those that did want to meet their birth families were inevitably welcomed back, giving Finn a strong sense of satisfaction. That he was doing the right thing.  
To help him there was Rose and three assistants, who rotated their involvement in their project with other political projects started under the auspices of Chancellor Poe Dameron. In that way, he and Rose could keep abreast of what was going on elsewhere in the building.  
This particular day, Finn had been feeling out of sorts ever since he had woken up. It had been a late night with Rose - they had ended up talking long into the night, going over their memories of the past few weeks and trying to work through the emotions that lingered from the most strange of times - and he had almost overslept, just making it into work on time. Despite copious cups of caf, he had never really felt awake in the same way that he usually did, and most of the day had passed by in a blur. For the last hour, he had been alone in the office whilst Rose had been away, running errands, and he was wondering if he might put his head down on the desk for a short nap when the door burst open, and Rose came running back in, bubbling over with excitement.  
‘What is it?’   
‘Good news,’ she said, going over to her desk and dumping a large pile of flimplasts onto it. ‘Rey is being released from the medical centre!’  
‘When?’ That was good news, he was beginning to worry that she would never be allowed out of there again.  
‘This afternoon!’ Rose smiled broadly, not quite able to believe it. ‘I just spoke to her. The therapists have decided that she is over the worst and can start to live independently.’  
‘That’s brilliant.’  
Taking a seat at her desk, Rose went on. ‘Poe’s also found her an apartment in the same building as us.’  
‘Oh good,’ It made Finn feel better to think that Rey would be close to him and Rose. Although he knew that she could look after herself, he still felt protective towards her. Especially after what had happened to her on Exegol. ‘You said she’s coming out this afternoon?’  
‘Yes. I’ve said that I’ll go and meet her when I’ve finished up here, help her over to her apartment. Do you want to come too?’  
‘Yeah, I will do,’ said Finn, feeling that there might finally be something that could shake him out of his torpor.  
‘Cool, we can grab something to eat afterwards.’  
After a couple more hours of intense working, Finn and Rose hurried over to the medical centre. in a hired speeder. There, they found Rey was waiting for them with her bags already packed.   
‘Finn! Rose!’  
‘Rey!’  
The three of them embraced happily, pleased to see that Rey was looking well for the first time since she had come to Coruscant. The dark circles had gone from her eyes, and she actually managed to smile. Finn noticed a change in her emotions too, she seemed less anxious and tense than when he had seen her previously. Almost as if she had found some inner peace. He was eager to ask her what had happened but decided to keep his questions for later, when they were in more intimate surroundings. The medical droids were fussing around Rey, making sure that she had all her belongings, and that she was clear about her after-care schedule, which would include continuing sessions with the therapist. When all the paperwork had been completed, Rey announced that she was finally able to leave. After thanking the droids, they made their way down the corridor to the elevators, joining a short queue of patients, droids and visitors.  
‘You look so much better,’ sighed Rose, moving forwards as several members of the queue disappeared into the first available elevator.  
‘I feel so much better,’ said Rey happily. She was about to explain why but then another set of elevator doors opened and a familiar figure came out, led by two carers, one holding onto him either side.  
Finn did a double take. It was the former Supreme Leader, Armitage Hux. He looked terrible, thin and hunched over, his blue eyes rimmed with red and marked by dark shadows. His black clothing only accentuated his pale skin, the red hair hanging listlessly across his brow, a scraggly beard covering his once scrupulously unshaven chin. He knew he shouldn’t but Finn couldn’t help staring. Never had he seen a man that looked so broken. Considering Hux’s actions during the war, it should have made him feel righteous. But it didn’t.  
As Hux walked past Finn, a hint of recognition passed over his face and he looked about to say something, but then thought better of it. Instead he said nothing, his eyes staring downcast at the floor in front of him as he was ushered down the corridor by his carers.  
‘Is that Hux?’ asked Rey. She had been told that he was in the medical centre at the same time as her, in case it triggered any harmful associations, but she had not seen him until now.  
‘I almost feel sorry for him,’ said Rose uncomfortably, staring after the former First Order officer. ‘Considering what he went through as a child.’  
‘Why?’ Finn knew that Rose had been keeping up with the fate of the High Command much better than he had been. There had been several trials already of those commanding officers captured after the battles on Coruscant and Naboo, of which Hux’s had been the most prominent.   
‘He lived his whole life in the shadow of the Empire and First Order. He never really got the chance to have a proper life, or even choose the life he wanted. He was abused and bullied by his father, and never knew his mother, who wasn’t his father’s wife as far as I can remember’ she explained, following Rey and Finn into the elevator. ‘Oh, I know it will never excuse the terrible things that he did. After all, he ordered the destruction of all those millions of people on Hosian Prime, and on Kijimi. But he was the product of a system, an evil system.’  
Rey nodded, understanding. ‘I guess he was manipulated by Snoke too.’  
‘I don’t know about that,’ shrugged Rose as the elevator stopped is descent, and the doors opened. ‘Snoke’s role in this is all very vague.’  
‘Ben thought that he was some kind of vessel of the dark side,’ said Rey as they walked out into the busy reception hallway. ‘After Palpatine’s death, all that bad energy had to go somewhere.’  
As they emerged into the late afternoon sunshine, Rey said that she would like to walk to her new apartment, which was in the same building as Rose and Finn’s apartments. It was warm and muggy, the day had been humid, and the temperature had barely dropped even as Coruscant’s star was starting to set. They walked along streets busy with workers heading home after a long day or going out for a meal in one of the city-planet’s many thousands of restaurants. Eventually they reached their apartment block, taking the elevator to the twentieth floor. Using her new key-card, Rey opened the door, stepping into what was technically her second home, thinking that she would still count the abandoned AT-AT as her first. The strong smell of new paint washed over her and she blanched, putting her bag down on the floor.  
‘Come on,’ said Finn impatiently from behind her, ‘this bag’s heavy.’  
Rey knew that it wasn’t but she obliged him and went into the open plan living area that made up the largest part of her new home. There was a couch and a small low table, a larger table with two chairs around it. A screen took up most of one of the walls, and towards the other side of the room was a large, ugly sideboard and a tall cupboard, several shelves on the wall beside it. A large set of doors led out onto a generous balcony, which also had its own table and chairs to sit on. Leading off the room were two doors, one turning out to be a bedroom and the other, the bathroom.  
‘There’s nowhere to make food,’ said Rey, puzzled, wondering if she had missed something.  
‘That’s because you don’t need it,’ said Rose, opening up the window to get some fresh air into the room. Immediately the sounds of the city filtered in, the steady hum of the skyways, the mandatory alarm going off somewhere.  
‘There’s plenty of places to eat out around here,’ added Finn, sensing that she wasn’t that impressed by the place. He wasn’t surprised, it was bland and unprepossessing despite being in one of the most expensive addresses in the city.  
Catching his thoughts, Rey smiled. ‘I’ll put my mark on it. Don’t worry.’  
‘You will,’ agreed Finn, glad that she was smiling again. ‘Anyway, shall we go and get something to eat? I’m starving.’  
‘I can’t argue with that,’ nodded Rey, which made Finn laugh. If anyone was always hungry, it was Rey.  
Leaving her bags unpacked, they went back out into the city. Rose said that they should take Rey to their favourite cafe, which was several blocks away but well worth a visit.   
‘It’s owned by a guy named Merko,’ said Finn as they walked along past shops and businesses, many of which were still open. ‘He’s a good laugh.’  
They turned off the main street into a quieter district, characterised by quirkier facades and bright flags that were hung from the streetlights and awnings. Rose explained to Rey that this was one of the areas frequented by the younger citizens of Coruscant. Most of the shops and cafes here were cheaper, less fussy, and it was popular with immigrants into the city because of its abundance of cheaper housing. Rey looked around her with interest; whilst not keen on the lack of greenery, which Finn explained was an issue across the whole of the city-planet, there was plenty to do and see.   
Coming to the end of a row of brightly coloured buildings, the cafe owned by Merko stood on the end. It was set back from the pavement, the space in front filled, to Rey’s joy, with potted plants in and amongst the chairs and tables. It was busy, with customers occupying every table out in the front and the inside of the cafe, but Rose was positive that they could find somewhere to sit. ‘There’s a garden out the back,’ she explained to a delighted Rey, ‘there’s usually one or two tables available there.’  
They went inside the bustling cafe, Finn going over to speak to a cheerful looking man stood behind the bar. Nodding to Finn’s question, which Rey couldn’t hear over the noise of people chatting, the man gestured for them to follow him. Rey followed Rose and Finn out into an amazing hidden garden, chairs and tables nestled in amongst potted trees and plants, bright flowers trailing along wooden trellises. Merko, who was the cafe’s owner, found them a seat towards the back, surrounded by pots of orange flowering plants, their sweet fragrance filling the air around them. Sitting down, they soon ordered their food and got down to the most important business, finding out what had convinced the medical droids to finally allow Rey to leave their care.  
Rey blushed, wondering how she could tell them. ‘I, er, managed to get in contact with Ben.’  
‘You did?’ Finn looked at her in amazement. ‘How?’  
‘I reached into the Force,’ she explained, picking at her food. ‘To see if I could find his imprint…’  
‘What do mean by imprint?’ asked Rose, confused.  
‘Everyone has an imprint in the Force,’ Rey explained, ‘although it’s hard to feel it unless you are sensitive to it. It’s like a signature, a way of knowing it’s that person. Like Finn,’ she went on, ‘to me Finn feels warm, familiar, comfortable. Like I’ve always known him. Bright too, with light.’  
‘And Ben?’  
‘Ben’s a bit more complicated,’ she smiled wryly. ‘He’s chaotic, his energy’s all over the place. There’s still darkness there too but… the same as Finn, there’s light and he feels comfortable to me. I know him.’  
Rose thought this was fascinating. ‘So when you reach into the Force, you can find people by looking for their imprint?’  
‘That’s right! It doesn’t always work and it took me a while to find Ben. But I managed to get there in the end.’  
‘And you could see each other?’ Finn remembered when he had found Rey and Ben together on Ajan Kloss.  
‘Yes, we managed to connect, although I’ve no idea where he is.’  
‘He didn’t tell you?’  
Rey’s face fell. ‘No. He’s decided…’ She trailed off, already feeling the sadness returning but she knew she had to be strong. ‘He’s decided not to come back here. He knows what’s happened to Hux and the rest of the High Command and he knows that he would have to go through the same.’  
‘It’s only right,’ said Finn, although he could understand why Rey would want Ben to remain outside of the Republic’s justice system.  
‘Of course,’ said Rey, knowing that technically she was doing a terrible thing, enabling a wanted war criminal to evade justice. ‘But I know, and Ben knows, he can do so much more if he’s given the chance. If he can live on his own terms. And I agree with him that I couldn’t trust the justice system here to allow him to do that.’  
‘That sounds selfish,’ said Finn, not meaning to be negative about Ben’s choices, but just wanting to make sure that Rey was happy with things as they stood.  
‘In some ways it is,’ agreed Rey, who had spent most of the last few days putting into perspective the decision that Ben had made. ‘But he’s doing it for the right reasons. He wants to atone for the things he’s done, he wants to try and put things right.’  
‘And how will he do that?’ asked Finn, uncertainly.  
‘By spending his life, helping others,’ said Rey earnestly. ‘There’s so many things wrong in the galaxy. He means to travel around, to find where he’s needed the most. But he also needs time to find out who he is. He’s never known a time when there’s not been a voice in his head, telling him how to think and how to feel. Or someone trying to shape his destiny. Now it’s up to him to do that himself.’ She paused for a moment, knowing it was a difficult issue, her own feelings about it inevitably clouded by her connection with Ben. ‘I know it’s wrong that he will escape justice for what he’s done. I know he’ll always be wanted for his crimes and he won’t be able to live a normal life. Not that it matters, he’s never had that anyway. But I know that the darkness will never claim him again. It can’t. I won’t let it.’  
‘But how? You won’t be there to stop it,’ frowned Finn, wondering if she was too caught up in her feelings for Ben to have a good grasp of the situation.  
‘Yes I will,’ said Rey adamantly, although she understood his concerns. ‘We might not be together, but we’re always connected. On so many levels - physically and mentally. Even now, I can feel his presence, he’s here with me.’  
Both Finn and Rose knew that Ben’s desire for atonement would always be a complex issue, and it was debatable whether the circumstances of his loyalty to the First Order would ever be truly understood by Coruscant’s currently retributive justice system. But whilst they were both conflicted about the ethics of Ben’s decision, they could see that it meant a lot to Rey, to think that he was out there somewhere in the galaxy.   
‘Maybe you need to talk to Poe about this,’ was Finn’s eventual comment.  
‘I know and I wish Ben could explain it to you,’ sighed Rey, seeing their hesitation, ’he’d make a much better job of it than I can.’  
‘It’s okay, I get where you’re coming from,’ insisted Rose. ‘If I was Ben, I’d do the same. And I think I know him well enough to believe him when he says that he wants to make things right. To help others. And we know that the kind of justice we hope for is not the norm, even across the Republic. All they’ll do is lock him up. They might even execute him depending on how vicious the Senate is feeling. And what good would that do?’ She smiled at Rey, ‘We need to save what we love.’  
Rey’s eyes were wet, and she reached out for Rose’s hand. ‘I knew you’d understand,’ she whispered, grateful to her friend for articulating what she couldn’t.  
‘And I understand too,’ said Finn, hoping he had not come across as disagreeable. ‘I just want to make sure that you’re happy.’  
‘With Ben’s decision?’ Rey smiled thinly, ‘If I’m being honest, I want him here with me. Ever since he turned back to the light, we’ve barely been apart. I hate being without him, it’s like part of me is missing. But it’s something he needs to do. And he can’t do it with us being together. The connection is too strong. As he said to me, it’s like he can’t always tell where he ends and I begin.’  
Her friends could see her conflict, and their hearts went out to her. ‘It won’t be forever, will it?’  
‘No. We’ll be together one day,’ Rey heaved a big sigh, wiping her eyes.  
‘But with that connection of yours, you don’t even need to be in the same place to see each other, do you?’ Finn reminded her. For some reason, this made Rey blush and he could feel her embarrassment strongly. He wondered what she was thinking about.  
‘No,’ stammered Rey, remembering her rather intense experience with Ben a few nights before. ‘We can see each other and er… do things.’  
It was the way that she said ‘do things’ that made Finn and Rose look at each other. ‘What things?’ demanded Rose, intrigued.  
Unable to hide her feelings, Rey knew she was digging herself a massive hole. So she decided to be honest. ‘Um, what people… er, do when they’re in love?’  
Finn nearly spat out his drink. ‘Rey!’  
She frowned, ‘Rose asked! Besides, it could mean lots of things. It’s not my fault you’ve got a dirty mind.’  
‘But it means what I think it does?’ The expression on Rey’s face confirmed his suspicions. ‘Well, well, Rey. You surprise me.’  
‘Why?’  
‘I thought you were a good girl.’  
She grinned. ‘Neither of us had done it before. We wanted to see what it was like.’  
‘Too much information,’ groaned Rose, putting her hands over her ears.  
‘Wait a minute,’ said Finn, going back to what Rey had just said. ‘Ben too?’  
‘Yes. Why’s that so surprising?’  
‘I don’t know,’ shrugged Finn, ‘I just assumed with his father’s reputation…’ he trailed off, not sure what he meant.  
‘Ben’s not his dad, and from what he tells me, most of that reputation was made up,’ laughed Rey. ‘And d’you really think Ben, who was trained as a Jedi don’t forget, would have the inclination to, um…’  
‘No, we don’t,’ said Rose quickly, thinking that the conversation had degenerated far too much already.  
‘Not really,’ added Finn, ‘although he did tell me he had feelings for one other person, besides you.’  
‘That was Tai,’ said Rey sadly, ‘his death pushed Ben towards the dark side.’  
‘I thought it was Luke standing over him with a lightsaber?’ frowned Rose.  
‘It was a combination of things.’  
‘So,’ said Finn, wanting to get something straight. ‘You’re feeling better about Ben. You’ve come to terms with him not being here, and you’ll be together again in the future just as soon as he feels he’s done enough to atone for what he’s done.’  
‘I don’t think he’ll ever think that he’s done enough,’ said Rey, ‘but yes, that’s a good summary.’  
‘And you both lost your virginity to each other,’ he added with a grin.  
Rey rolled her eyes. ‘It’s not that much of a big deal.’  
‘Well I think it’s great,’ said Finn, ‘you got laid, I got laid. Now all we have to do is get Rose laid…’  
‘I didn’t think it was a competition,’ grumbled Rose, looking away. It was not something she was really bothered about. ‘It’s not my fault that potential boyfriends keep bailing on me.’ Here, she looked pointedly at Finn.  
‘Yeah, about that,’ began Finn, looking contrite.  
‘Can we not do this?’ asked Rey, trying to eat some more of her meal, which was getting somewhat cold. But then she belatedly realised what Finn had said. ‘You got laid?’  
‘That’s what I said,’ he grinned.  
‘To who?’  
‘Who do you think?’  
‘No…!’ Rey looked at him astounded. ‘Poe feels the same way?’  
‘He does,’ said Finn, barely able to contain his excitement. ‘Luckily for me.’  
‘That’s wonderful,’ Rey looked at him happily. ‘I’m so happy for you both.’  
‘Thank you.’ Feeling bad about Rose, he tried to focus the conversation back onto Rey’s wellbeing. ‘So, you’re okay.’  
‘Yes,’ agreed Rey. ‘ Ben needs to be at peace with himself, and he won’t find that here. And my therapist said that if I was going to find peace, I have to let Ben go. I can’t be be selfish about it. It’s not what a Jedi does.’  
‘I thought you’d decided most of the Jedi code was redundant?’ said Rose, picking up the dessert menu now that she had finished her main.  
‘Most of it,’ agreed Rey, ‘but I think it’s right about being selfless. That we shouldn’t allow our emotions for others prevent us from doing what is best for them. Like you and Poe will have to be,’ she said, looking at Finn. ‘Considering his status.’  
‘That’s true,’ agreed Rose, ‘Finn is very pragmatic about Poe’s duty to the galaxy.’  
Finn nodded, ‘Poe has to put his position as Chancellor above me. And that’s fine. I accept that. We can still be together.’  
‘It’s a good template,’ said Rey, taking a sip of her drink. ‘Selfless love for another, even an intimate partner, is possible for a Jedi.’ It made her smile, ‘I have to think it.’


	5. Honouring the past, thinking about the future

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It is a year after the end of the war with the First Order and we catch up with what has been happening with our heroes. Rey has found some purpose in helping Poe with various projects, including restoring the archives of the Jedi Temple. One day, she has a strange experience in the basement which leads her to think that someone from her past is trying to get her attention.

Rey, Poe, Finn and Rose were well settled into their new lives on Coruscant. It was a life of stability and security; they had jobs, a permanent place to live, and they had each other. The New Republic was flourishing, the First Order was defeated. Together, they found great friendship and love, healing the heartache and trauma of their previous lives, and with their growing closeness, there came a much deeper understanding of each other, of their needs and desires. What they needed to live a good, meaningful and happy life.  
For Finn, who had gone from one military organisation to another, learning to adapt to civilian life had its challenges. For the first few months of living on Coruscant, he had felt restless, unable to cope with a less structured lifestyle, feeling guilty that he was not doing something purposeful. He was used to people telling him what to do, and when, and for some time he struggled with the concept that he now had the freedom to organise his own life, and that it was a good thing. For a long time, he poured all of his time into working on the stormtrooper rehabilitation programme, working evenings and his days off, until Rose and Rey staged an intervention, telling him that he was allowed to enjoy himself, to relax. They encouraged him to arrange a visit to his birth family on Kuat, which turned out to be one of the best things that he had done since the end of the war. He stayed a week on Kuat, getting to know his mother and her family, as well as meeting the huge number of relations that were part of his extended family. Eager to keep in touch, he communicated regularly with his mother, promising that he would come and visit just as soon as he had another vacation. Rey also kept up their training time, using the empty rooms of the Jedi Temple as a base. With Rey’s encouragement, Finn continued to develop his proficiency in using the Force and, particularly, using a lightsaber, happy to act as an experiment for Rey’s teaching methods. His proudest moment was building his own lightsaber from a crystal he had found on Ossus, travelling there with Rey in the patched-up Falcon. Finally retired from service, Anakin’s lightsaber was given to the Jedi Temple, part of a growing collection of curios that Rey was starting to amass, some of which came from Luke, from Maz, and from Ben’s collection, which had been recovered from the First Order’s archives. Surrounded by his friends, Finn reflected that he had never felt so happy since he had left the First Order. Not only did he find great connection and companionship with Rey and Rose, but his relationship with Poe continued to grow in depth and intensity around Poe’s commitment to the Republic.  
Recovering from the trauma of the past days of the war against the First Order, Rose thrived with the support of her friends, becoming close to Rey as well as to Finn. In company with Jannah, she travelled back to her home planet of Hays Minor to seek out any remaining members of her wider family. Amazingly, she found her father’s brother was still alive, which opened up brand new contacts with a part of the family that Rose had never met before.They were sad to hear what had happened to Paige, but were pleased that Rose had found herself a fulfilling life on Coruscant. Along with Finn, Rose continued to work on the ‘Reunite’ programme, finding immense satisfaction in supporting the ‘lost children’ to find their families as Finn and Jannah had, and she enjoyed helping Rey to bring the Falcon back into service in honour of Lando and Chewie. For her part, Jannah returned to her former home of Cloud City to look after her father, who was not only experiencing survivor’s guilt after the events on Naboo, but was struggling with his injuries, which had been substantial. Although she was sad to find that she had no memories of her home, Jannah experienced great joy in helping her father to bring it back into use after many years of neglect, opening it up as a rehabilitation, and leisure, centre for those affected by war. Like Finn, she was overjoyed that she had found her place in the galaxy, and she also kept in touch with her former comrades that she had lived with on Coruscant. For some ex-stormtroopers, the tentative communities that had been created after their desertion remained their family and both Jannah and Finn were pleased to hear that these communities continued to flourish in both locations.  
As for Poe, he was eager to learn from the mistakes of the past, and in particular the mistakes of the New Republic. Instead of returning to the two-party system, he had campaigned on the need to develop a coalition of all systems, seeking to overcome the weaknesses that became inherent in the conflict between the Centrists and the Populists. Weaknesses that the First Order had been able to exploit. Instead, he tried to steer a middle course, working towards incorporating as many viewpoints as possible before reaching a compromise. It was hard work, and cost Poe many sleepless nights, but he knew he could not enable the same conditions in which the First Order flourished to happen again. Under his leadership, Poe had also unveiled an ambitious programme of development across the galaxy, seeking to work with systems where government was limited or chaotic, to try and create greater stability and ensure that the vulnerable and weak were protected. Inspired by the experiences of Finn, Prue and Jannah, and also Rey’s experiences on Jakku, he was determined to ensure that all children across the galaxy were able to live their lives free from enslavement, manipulation and oppression. He knew it would be a difficult path to take, requiring all of his diplomacy and talents. Many of the systems in the Outer Rim were used to the status quo and had long resisted change. It was also a departure from the politics of his mentor, Leia Organa, but, as he told Finn, ‘it feels right.’ His only regret was that he could not spend more time with his friends, especially Finn, whose love and attention soothed his troubled, and exhausted, soul after hours and hours of meetings with Senators, dignitaries and important persons from across the galaxy.  
Yet by far and away the biggest headache for Poe was what to do with the former leaders of the First Order. The demands for retribution and justice from the thousands of systems that had been subjected to exploitation and destruction by the First Order continued to test his moral philosophy to the limit. There had been a series of trials, to dispense justice but also, as Poe had reasoned, to get to the bottom of why the First Order had developed out of the ashes of the Empire. What was the continuing fascination with the defeated Empire? Was it power and control that its leaders craved, or something more sinister? The trials continued to rumble on, with Hux and Quinn at first using them as a propaganda exercise, until they realised that no one was listening to their excuses. Then it became an exercise in reluctant admission of guilt. For Hux, this only came after extensive therapy and rehabilitation, in an attempt to try and reconcile the abuse that he had suffered at the hands of his father and Snoke - most of it stemming from the humiliation that he had endured from being illegitimate - with his need for power and control. But its impact on his psyche ran deep, leaving him a broken man, as Finn and his friends had witnessed. It was clear from recent public appearances that Hux’s unresolved trauma meant he would never lead a normal life again.  
As for Ben Solo, although Poe made a half hearted attempt to make it look like he wanted to bring him to justice, in reality he was content - for Rey’s sake especially - to keep Ben’s whereabouts a mystery. It was easy enough to proclaim that the former Supreme Leader and dark warrior was presumed dead. The question of what to do with Hux, and the other surviving First Order officers, was already a controversial topic, with many systems seeing their survival and rehabilitation as a great injustice, considering how many citizens had been murdered, enslaved and exploited by the First Order. But Poe doggedly pursued his strategy, determined not to be sucked into the same violence that had marked the First Order, maintaining that the galaxy needed to be healed, and that included accepting a new approach to dealing with those who had wounded it.  
And what about Rey? After her recovery, life was slow at first, with Poe unable to find a suitable project that would utilise the best of her skills and abilities. Instead, she concentrated on helping Rose and Finn with their projects, doing odd jobs for Poe, and tinkering with the Falcon. Eventually Poe found her a project of her own; to catalogue the former library and archives of the Jedi Temple. Although much had been destroyed in the destruction and subsequent vandalism of the Temple under the Empire and First Order, thorough and extensive searches of the Temple found a hidden back-up archive. It meant that Rey could make the knowledge of the Jedi Order, amassed over thousands of generations, available to a new audience. A wealth of information that would otherwise have been lost to history. Augmented by the Jedi texts recovered from Ajan Kloss, and other relics in her possession, the ultimate vision was to open up the Temple as a lasting memorial to the Jedi Order, with Rey as its custodian, a position that she had provisionally accepted from Poe.   
But despite her focus on her friends and her project, Rey could never entirely shake the feeling that something, that someone, was missing from her life. Although she had come to terms with Ben’s disappearance, her heart still ached for him. Sometimes in the still of the night, she thought she could hear his voice whispering in her ear, or sense his familiar imprint on the Force. It was always fleeting. But she clung to the hope that she would see him again, that one day their futures would be rejoined.

It was late afternoon, the sunlight slanting through the clouds and lighting up the ruined remains of the Jedi Temple that overlooked the Temple precinct. The Temple had stood at the heart of Coruscant for hundreds of years; once its spires, built over the remains of an even older temple, had soared over the surrounding buildings, but now it stood, broken and half forgotten. A silent witness to the terrible events of the Clone Wars and the rise of the Empire. Most of its once grand spaces were now opened to the elements, giving a rare glimpse into the home of the secretive Jedi Order. The still useable spaces were down in the huge basements that ran underneath its former hallways. Here, no sunlight penetrated and its occupants relied on artificial lighting to bring clarity to the gloom. Rey and her two assistants, Pieta and Kassype, were often to be found down in one of the low-ceilinged rooms tucked away in the huge, echoing basement levels, working to extract the remains of the Jedi archive from the huge banks of storage circuits that filled over half of these lower levels. It was a long-winded task that meant unlocking each circuit and decoding it, before the information could be downloaded onto the central servers. In the vast, semi-dark spaces it was not surprising that the mind started playing tricks. Occasionally, they would hear the odd noise or experience strange things that could not be attributed to other people being in the building, for the basement levels were not a place that anyone would be passing by on their way to somewhere else.  
‘Here it is.’  
Coming over to where she was sitting, Pieta, a young man of around Rey’s age, handed her another data slice. He had an earnest face, kind eyes, and bushy dark hair. He reminded Rey of Finn in many ways, having the same cheerful nature and boundless enthusiasm. She had been pleased when Poe had sent him to help her with the Temple project, along with Kassype, a young woman who had been much more formal at first but had soon revealed a wicked sense of humour. Although both of a similar age to Rey, they were from vastly different backgrounds. Both Pieta and Kassype came from relatively privileged families on Riosa and Chandrila, and they were the type of ambitious, educated, professional young person who would eventually work in government, perhaps even rising to the coveted position of Senator. It was how Rey imagined Ben might have ended up if he had not been corrupted by Snoke and the dark side. They had the advantages of a good education, and a loving family, things that had been denied her, and it was amusing to her, therefore, that they both looked up to her as a Resistance hero but also as a Jedi.  
‘Thanks.’ Rey took the data slice from Pieta and slid it into the side of the data-pad that she was working on. When the device softly bleeped, she started to type in several long strings of numbers prompted by Pieta, who was holding another device that generated the codes. Immediately, the screen changed, asking if she wanted to download the information that was contained on it. She clicked ‘yes’ and sat back to wait for the download to complete. She turned back to Pieta, ‘Where’s Kassype got to?’  
‘I don’t know, she was only going to get a couple of drinks,’ said Pieta carelessly. ‘Perhaps they’ve got a sale on in the boutique she likes…’  
Alright sweetheart?  
‘What?’ The new voice took her by surprise. It didn’t belong to Pieta, that much was certain. And there was only one person who would dare to call her sweetheart.  
‘I said perhaps they’ve got a sale on…’ Pieta looked at her in confusion.  
‘Yeah, yeah I heard that.’ Rey attempted to cover up her mistake. ‘I thought you said something else.’  
‘What?’  
‘Oh, it doesn’t matter,’ Rey tried to concentrate on the computer screen in front of her. Since she had woken up that morning, she had felt strange, like something, or someone, was lurking on the edges of her consciousness, trying to get her attention. Nagging her. It had to be Ben but every time she had tried to find him in the Force, his presence had eluded her. Now he had spoken to her, he must have. Ben?  
‘You’re hearing ghosts again,’ grinned Pieta, trying not to laugh. On their many walks around the temple ruins to catalogue what was left of it, Rey had often been affected by the ruins. Sometimes she heard voices, other times she went into a trance, recalling vivid memories from the past that she could not otherwise have known. It was an uncanny ability, and although Pieta often liked to tease Rey about it, he did not deny that her gift was special.  
‘I must be.’ There was no reply and she wondered if she had been daydreaming.  
Whilst they were waiting for the data to download, Pieta had a quick look around to see if Kassype had returned but found nothing out of the ordinary. ‘We’re definitely on our own here.’  
‘Yoo-hoo!’   
The noise startled both of them, but this time it was Kassype, returning with drinks and some delicious-looking pastries from a nearby bakery that she hadn’t been able to resist. Both of them were grateful for the snack. Although their job entailed mostly sitting around, transferring the data, Rey always felt hungry. Probably because the job itself was not difficult physically or mentally taxing, actually it was quite boring.  
They worked through methodically through several more of the data slices whilst Kassype went to catalogue the uppermost levels of the temple, and Rey experienced no more strange phenomena. However, she could not shake the feeling that Ben was trying to get in contact with her. Although she did not hear from him again, the feeling continued into the evening when she met with Rose and Finn outside the temple.  
’Thanks for your help today,’ she said to Pieta and Kassype, as they turned off down Processional Way towards their lodgings.  
‘What are you doing tomorrow night?’ asked Pieta, glancing across to Finn and Rose as well as Rey. He didn’t know them as well as he knew Rey, but from their conversations he thought they were fun. ‘Kassype and I were thinking about trying out that new bar that’s opened, you know… oh, what’s it called…?’  
‘That one with the massive cocktail menu?’ asked Finn. When Pieta nodded, he went on, ‘we were thinking of going there too, weren’t we Rose? Wanna come with us?’  
‘Sure,’ said Pieta, looking at Kassype, who agreed it would be a good idea. ‘Sounds fun.’  
‘Great, we’ll arrange it tomorrow,’ said Rey, waving goodbye as Pieta and Kassype headed down the street, which was thronged with workers from the Legislative District heading home for the evening.  
‘Good day?’ asked Rose, linking her arm in with her friend’s as they went the opposite way, going into the narrow streets on the southernmost side of the Temple.  
‘Yeah, fine.’ The sun was setting behind the Senate building in the distance, staining the sky a glorious rosy pink, tinged with vivid orange. Rey admired it, although the beauty of the skies on the city planet were slightly marred by the fact that they were caused by the high levels of pollution. ‘I’m not sure I like staring at a screen all day though.’ Her head felt fuzzy, making it difficult to concentrate on what her friends were saying.  
‘Join the club,’ sighed Finn, ‘as much as I love the work we do, we could do with getting out of the office more.’  
Rose agreed, ‘We need to have a word with Poe.’  
‘Same as everyone on Coruscant,’ laughed Finn, who had not seen his lover for several days now, the Chancellor was so extraordinarily busy. ‘You’ll have to make an appointment.’  
‘What? You couldn’t just have a word…’  
‘No.’  
‘You mean there’s no advantages to knowing his boyfriend?’ tutted Rose, winking at Rey.  
‘None I’m afraid,’ lamented Finn, ‘even I have to make an appointment, and there’s no guarantee he’ll turn up.’  
Rose shook her head, ‘I don’t know what’s worse, not having a partner or having one but never seeing them.’ It was sentiment that could apply to Rey as well as to Finn.  
Rey was trying hard to keep up with the conversation. ‘You should just make one up,’ she said, missing the point entirely, ‘then at least it would keep the creeps away…’  
‘What creeps?’ Finn looked at her in askance.  
‘You know, the ones who only want to get into your pants,’ explained Rose, knowing exactly what Rey meant. They had endured enough lame pick-up lines from Coruscant’s collection of self-confessed hot-shots and would-be smooth-talkers to last a lifetime. And it was not just in the bars either, even the many glittery events that they were invited to, thanks to their links with Poe, exposed them to chancers and sleaze-balls. They seemed to exist at every level of society.  
‘Oh, those,’ Finn nodded, understanding. ‘Yeah, I’ve dealt with those.’ They came in all shapes and sizes, genders and species it seemed, and were particularly attracted to former Resistance leaders and commanders.  
They walked along the central boulevard, heading into the shopping and entertainment district of the city, away from the governmental offices and associated businesses that had built up around them. A steady stream of citizens were heading the same way as them as the work-day ended; above them the skyways were chock full of speeders and other transports, moving slowly towards the outer districts. It was noisy, congested and overwhelming, as far removed from Rey’s ideal environment as could be possible. But today she barely noticed her surroundings. Beside her, Rose and Finn chatted about something or other, their voices merging into the wider melee as she tried to focus on what she could not quite feel. Ben was infuriatingly there but not quite close enough. Reaching out with the Force made no difference, she could sense him but every time she tried to grasp the feeling, his presence flittered away from her again like a beautiful butterfly. She was so engrossed in her thoughts, that she did not notice that they had arrived at their destination, and it was a while before she realised Rose was trying to get her attention.  
‘Rey, we’re here!’  
‘So we are,’ she said brightly, trying to pull herself together. Finn held the door open and she followed Rose into the canteen. It was a familiar haunt of theirs, a large, bustling eating-place with no pretensions, unlike many of the restaurants on Coruscant which tried to attract a more upmarket clientele. There were rows and rows of shared tables where the good-natured conversation flowed freely and nosily, patrons eating different variations of noodles, soup and rice, good wholesome food that was not too rich or cloying. It was popular with a young, hip crowd, fortunately too hip to bother themselves with Resistance heroes, and Finn and his friends generally went unnoticed there, something which pleased them after the intensity of their fame in government circles. People were often enthusiastic to meet Rey, but that was understandable considering her almost god-like status as the last Jedi, and she responded to their awe with quiet grace.  
The place was already crowded but they managed to find a few seats left right at the back, close to the kitchens. It was not a pleasant spot, the doors kept banging as the servers went in and out, but Finn and Rose were too hungry to care, and Rey was still trying to work out why Ben was reaching out to her now, albeit without much success. Perhaps he was hurt or needed her help?  
‘Do you not want to be here, or something?’ Finn asked her, after three times of trying to get her attention about what she wanted to order.  
‘Sorry,’ Rey shook her head trying to clear it. Forcing herself to pay attention, she took the menu from Finn and studied it momentarily. ‘I’ll have the Kray-udon noodles.’  
‘You always have that,’ he laughed at her, ‘why not try something else?’  
‘I don’t want anything else,’ she maintained, glancing at the drinks next. ‘Are you having tea?’ she asked Rose.  
Rose, who had already asked Rey several times without success if she wanted to share a pot of tea, nodded. ‘Yes. Fruit tea?’  
‘Super.’ Rey put the menu back in its holder whilst Rose completed the order on the electronic pad. Trying to keep present in the moment, she asked Finn and Rose how their project was going, a conversation that kept them busy until their food arrived.  
After dinner, they walked back to their apartment block on the other side of the main plaza, this time pushing against the tide of workers who were heading home for the day. It was not the most glamorous address - that was reserved for 500 Republica, the building in which Poe lived, the residence of Senators and diplomats - but it was amongst the most expensive in the city. The three of them had been embarrassed about it at various times during their residence on Coruscant, thinking that it was not necessary to be quite so central, but Poe had insisted, telling them that it was essential to their heroic status being recognised by the rest of Coruscant’s stiflingly hierarchical society.   
By the time they reached the elevators, Rey was no longer even pretending to pay attention to what was going on around her. The presence that had been teasing her at the edges of her consciousness was getting stronger now, making her fidgety and anxious. She could not shake off the idea that something was wrong with Ben.  
‘What is the matter with you?’ Finn asked, as they reached the door of Rey’s apartment. ‘You’ve not been with us all evening, have you?’  
‘Not really,’ she said, giving a faint smile. ‘My head feels strange, I think I’ve been stuck in the basement for too long.’  
‘You need a rest,’ said Rose, recognising that Rey’s tendency towards being distracted was worse when she was tired. ‘Take it easy tomorrow, then we’ll have a good night out.’  
‘That will sort you out,’ said Finn, tickling her gently.  
‘That sounds good,’ she nodded, trying to take an interest but itching to get inside, to try and make contact with Ben. ‘See you tomorrow?’  
‘Bright and early!’ Finn smiled.  
‘But not too early,’ said Rose with a smile, jabbing him in the ribs. ‘We’ll give you a call.’  
‘Perfect.’ The three of them embraced, then Finn and Rose left to go to their own apartments which were on the upper floors. ‘Night,’ she called after them.  
‘Night, Rey!’ Finn blew her a kiss before he and Rose disappeared around the corner.  
Taking a deep breath, Rey opened the door to her apartment.


	6. A fleeting visit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey finds out that it was indeed Ben who was trying to get her attention, and they spend a sex-filled evening in her apartment. Rey finds out that her tendency to impulsiveness extends to love-making, which makes Ben's attempt to find out what's been going on with her friends very difficult.

Pressing the code into a key-pad, Rey literally fell into the hallway as the door slid open and then closed behind her. Her eyes scanned the apartment and immediately she saw him. He was stood in the main living area of the dark apartment, next to the large windows that led out onto the balcony, his face hidden in shadow. But it was definitely him. The Force sparked around her like lightning now that he was near, making her tremble with unsuppressed excitement. Dropping her bag, she ran eagerly to him, not even stopping to put the light on or take off her coat. ‘Ben!’  
’Sweetheart!’ He turned to her, coming to meet her in the middle of the room. They stared at each other for a moment, Ben putting his hands on her shoulders, taking her all in. The way her skin and hair gleamed with the light from outside. The dark colours of her silky jumpsuit and close-fitting jacket were very different from what he was used to seeing her in.  
‘You’re okay?’ she asked him, breathless with excitement. The last time they had been together was when she was in the medical centre, many months ago. She could barely believe that he was stood in front of her, his gorgeous face mere inches away from hers.  
‘Yes, I’m fine. Why…?’  
But before he could get all of the words out, Rey’s arms were around his neck, her hands in his hair, pulling his mouth towards hers to cover him hungrily with soft, urgent kisses. She knew she should be polite and ask him how he was, why he had shown up in her apartment. But she couldn't think about anything else except getting him undressed and into her bed. She didn’t even try to fight the urge, letting it overcome her.  
Sensing her mood, he responded eagerly, removing her jacket and flinging it onto the couch. But in the next minute, he was on the couch as Rey dragged him over to it, completely overwhelmed by her desire.  
‘Hey, slow down,’ he laughed as soon as he could get a word in, trying to keep up with her as best he could. When Rey ignored him, he went on, ’At least you’ve answered one of my questions.’  
‘What’s that?’ Rey finally paused in her mission to undress him, taking the opportunity to study his face. He looked well, the best she had ever seen him in fact. His skin was clear and unblemished, the scar on his face so faded now as to be barely noticeable. His eyes were bright and clear, with no signs of the anguish or misery that had defined him before. It made her heart leap to see how far he’d come.  
‘You’ve missed me,’ he grinned, cupping her face with his hands before pulling her in close for another kiss.  
‘Have you missed me?’ Impatiently, she pulled at his shirt, lifting it over his head so she could feel the tautness of his chest, feverishly kissing the soft, warm skin she found there.  
‘Of course,’ he murmured, undoing her belt and letting it drop to the floor, then unzipping her jumpsuit and sliding his hands up and into it to remove it. ‘Why d’you think I needed to see you?’  
‘You must have read my mind.’ She shivered with anticipation as her clothes landed on the floor. For the moment she wasn’t interested in what he’d been up to, or even where he was. First, she had to quell the yearning that his absence had created within her. Those questions could come later.  
Clothes discarded, soon they were both locked together, enjoying each others’ bodies, taking pleasure from the sensations that their union created. Running his hands down to her hips, Ben first kissed the lightly tanned skin of her neck, then her shoulder, supporting her as they rocked against each other. ‘You are so beautiful,’ he breathed, holding on for as long as he could.  
Closing her eyes, Rey clung to him, feeling the tension building up inside her, waiting for the moment of release. Then, all of a sudden, she was there, and she rode the waves of pleasure, closely followed by his own, until they both collapsed in a sticky, messy heap.  
For a long time they lay together on the couch, barely moving, wrapped in each other’s arms. Ben played with Rey’s long waves of hair, raking them through with his fingers, trying to remove the knots and tangles. ‘You’re still on Coruscant?’  
‘Yes. I’ve got my own place now.’  
‘Describe it to me so I can picture where you are.’  
‘Okay,’ she obliged him. ‘It’s small, three rooms. A bedroom, a bathroom and a living room, that’s where we are now. There’s a door going out to a balcony behind us that looks out over the plaza…’  
‘What plaza?’  
‘The one outside the Senate.’  
‘Okay.’ He was surprised that she was right in the centre.  
She turned her head to remind herself. ’There’s a couch, a table, and some shelves.’  
‘What’s on the shelves?’  
‘Er, some books. Luke’s compass. My lightsaber.’  
‘I loved that compass,’ said Ben wistfully, ‘I wondered what had happened to it.’  
‘You can have it if you want.’   
‘No, no. You keep it.’  
She was sure that there was something else and she looked over at the shelf. ‘Oh, and a box that Finn gave me to put keepsakes in. Like that poem you wrote for me.’  
‘You found that,’ Ben felt slightly embarrassed. He had loved writing when he was younger, before the darkness had taken hold and Snoke had discouraged him from expressing his feelings in a healthy way. The poem he had written for Rey had been his first attempt at taking it up again, and he wasn’t sure what he thought of it.  
‘I loved it,’ she assured him, seeing that in a typical Ben-way he would be the first to downplay his ability. ‘Finn and Rose loved it too, they said it was very romantic.’  
‘They did?’ He hadn’t expected her to show anyone, and it made him feel strange inside, to think that other people were reading his innermost thoughts. But, knowing how close she was to her friends, he would have to get used to it. Speaking of which, ‘How are Finn and Rose?’  
‘They’re good.’  
When she did not elaborate any further, he sighed, knowing that he was going to have to struggle to get any information out of her.  
Amused by his indignation, Rey started to laugh.  
‘What’s so funny?’ he demanded, tickling her. ’At least I’m interested in what you and your friends have been up to. You didn’t even say hello!’  
‘You’ve been bugging me all day,’ said Rey by way of explanation, squirming in his grasp and trying to pull his hands away. ‘What did you expect?’  
‘I’m sorry about that. I kept meaning to speak to you, but every time I thought I was alone, I was interrupted.’   
So that explained the strange, on-off experiences she’d had all day. Whilst he was talking, he’d made no attempt to stop what he was doing and she struggled against him, laughing so much that she quickly became breathless. But, seeing an opportunity had arisen, she straddled him, purposefully sitting against his member and pushing against it, grabbing his hands as he groaned with pleasure.   
‘You cheat!’  
‘Why’s it cheating?’ she grinned, manoeuvring herself until he was inside her, ‘I know what you like.’  
‘Do you now?’ He bit his lip, trying to stay calm in spite of the rush of feelings. ‘And what’s that?’  
Leaning down close to his ear, she whispered, ‘You like me being on top of you, taking control.’ At the same time, she moved slowly, deliberately, stimulating him inside her.  
‘I can’t argue with that.’ He gazed up at her, enraptured. Appreciating the beauty of her body, lithe and slender. ‘So, tell me what you’ve been doing.’  
‘Ben!’  
‘Indulge me,’ he said, struggling to keep a cool head, ‘it’ll stop me coming too quickly.’  
‘Why would you want to do that?’ she asked, puzzled.  
‘Never mind.’ Deciding to stick to simple questions, he went on, ’How about Poe? What’s he been up to?’  
‘Poe’s busy being Chancellor.’ It seemed strange him talking to her whilst they were locked together but it helped to slow things down.  
‘And how is that going for him?’ He reached up to touch her breasts, appreciating their soft roundness in his hands, watching her lovely eyes grow wide as she trembled under his touch.  
‘As far as I know he’s very popular,’ she managed to say, trying to keep her breathing calm and steady but finding it increasingly difficult.  
‘I’m sure he’s very um…’ he trailed off, not sure what the correct adjective was for describing a Chancellor.  
‘He’s trying his best.’ Try as she might, Rey’s feelings were reaching a peak and she grabbed his arms to steady herself.  
‘I’m sure he is.’ Ben could feel it too and he shifted inside her, pushing against her as she pushed against him, abandoning all pretence that he wanted to talk.  
‘He seems to have a handle on things.’  
‘That’s good.’ Abruptly he put his hands in her hair, ‘Kiss me.’  
Leaning down, she pressed her mouth to his, sighing as the feelings inside her increased, their movements becoming more urgent as the fire took hold, spreading across her body. Time slowed down as her focus changed, it was all on him and her body, the feel of his lips on hers, the press of her stomach on his as they moved together, the aching inside for resolution. Then, finally it came, the honeyed drips of loveliness taking over her, pushing her to the brink of what she could endure. Closing her eyes, she saw, in her mind’s eye, her and Ben together, walking in a meadow filled with wild flowers, they were happy, they were laughing. She knew that she saw the future and she let herself go, collapsing against Ben as relief flooded through her.  
Opening her eyes, she saw Ben beneath her, his eyes closed. There was a blissful smile on his face. Carefully, she extracted herself from him, only to feel his hand on her arm.  
‘Where are you going?’ He kept his eyes closed.  
‘To the bathroom.’  
‘You’re coming back?’  
‘Yes. You’ll be here?’  
He opened his eyes then. ‘Yes. We can control this much better now.’ Once their connection had been random and haphazard, now they both knew it was malleable. It could be as long, or as short, as they wanted.  
Bending down, she kissed his forehead, leaving him, as far as she could see, lying on her couch but she knew that in reality he was somewhere far away. When she came back, she found him wrapped in a blanket, waiting for her. Opening his arms, he invited her in, and they cosied up together, needing only each other.  
Rey had a sudden thought, ‘Did you know that Finn and Poe are together?’  
‘Yes? Good. It’s about time.’ Now that she had had her way with him, he noticed that she was much more forthcoming about what else had been happening. It made him smile.  
She looked at him suspiciously, ‘You knew?’  
‘Finn told me ages ago,’ he said casually, trying not to laugh at her expression, she looked so put out.  
‘When?’ Rey could not believe that Finn had confided in Ben about something so important, and not even told her.  
‘Before we went to Exegol.’  
‘Oh. Why?’  
‘I don’t remember,’ mused Ben, whose memory of the time before now was already becoming hazy. ‘I think it was because I told him about Tai and he knew I would understand.’  
She reached up to kiss him. ‘They’re always asking after you.’  
‘Really?’ That surprised him. ‘Is Finn still working on that stormtrooper project?’  
‘Yes he is.’ It surprised her that he knew, ‘Wait a minute, how did you know about that?’   
‘You must have told me,’ Ben said smoothly, distracting her by kissing her ear. ‘Has he met his real family yet?’  
‘Yes.’ Then she remembered something, ‘Did you know he’s related to Giddean Danu, the senator?’  
‘I know that name.’ Ben thought for a moment, ‘He’s one of the senators who rebelled against Palpatine with Padme Amidala.’ It seemed apt for Finn’s story that he was connected to one of the early founders of the Rebel Alliance.  
‘Padme was your grandma, right?’   
‘She was.’  
Working on the archive had given her the opportunity to learn all about the history of the Jedi, including Anakin Skywalker and his secret marriage to the beautiful senator. ‘I think it’s so romantic…’  
‘What is?’  
‘The story of Anakin and Padme. Their secret marriage, defying the Jedi code,’ said Rey, surprised to find that he did not immediately agree with her. ‘You don’t think so?’  
‘Not really,’ he admitted, scratching at the scar on his stomach, ‘it was one of the catalysts for Anakin’s fall and contributed to the destruction of the Republic and the Jedi Order. Hardly romantic.’  
‘Oh.’ She didn’t know why his answer disappointed her so much. ‘Do you think our story is romantic?’ When he only laughed, she frowned at him, ’You don’t have a romantic bone in your body.’  
‘No, but I do have another type of bone,’ he grinned, raising his eyebrows when she looked at him primly. ‘C’mon, you were practically devouring me before.’  
‘That was before I found out you have no soul.’  
‘You’re right,’ he conceded sadly, ‘Snoke beat it out of me. Literally.’  
That killed the mood somewhat and Rey went back to telling him what everyone was up to. ‘Jannah’s gone back to Cloud City with Lando. He wants her to take over it when he’s gone.’  
‘Pffft. Lando will outlive all of us,’ was his comment. ‘One thing you haven’t told me yet is about you,’ he said to her, ‘How do you fit into all this activity?’  
‘I help wherever I can,’ she said modestly. ‘Poe’s given me my own project. Sorting out the Jedi archives.’  
That intrigued him, and he wondered why she hadn’t mentioned it before. ’I thought they’d been destroyed?’  
‘The main one, yes, but we found a back-up storage unit hidden in the lower basement. It’s going to take ages to work through it all, but I think most of it’s intact.’  
‘I’d love to see what’s in it,’ he sighed, impressed that she had been given such an important, and fascinating, task. ‘All that knowledge, thought lost.’  
‘Then come here, to Coruscant,’ she pointed out, adding in a sing-song voice, ‘I’ve got special access.’  
His smile faded, reminding him of what he still needed to do. ‘I can’t. Not yet.’  
‘No-one even knows you’re still alive,’ she persisted. ‘You could slip in… and then slip out.’  
‘One day,’ he replied, absent-mindedly stroking her cheek. ‘I’m committed to something at the moment.’  
His comment intrigued her but he refused to tell her what it was. ‘You’ll find out soon enough,’ was all he would say.  
‘No, tell me now.’  
‘You need to be patient.’  
‘You know that’s not my strong point.’  
‘I do.’ Thinking on his feet, he wondered if they might have some fun. ‘Do you want to play a game?’  
‘What game?’  
‘I want to see how patient you can be.’ He tried to look serious. ‘The game is that you lie still and let me do whatever I want to you…’   
‘What?’ She didn’t know whether to be alarmed or intrigued.  
‘I won’t do anything horrible,’ he assured her. ‘Quite the opposite. And I’ll tell you first. But whatever I do, on no account can you move or touch me until I say so. Okay?’  
‘And this is supposed to help me be more patient?’  
‘No,’ he laughed, ‘I don’t think you’ll last very long at all.’  
Now it was a challenge. ‘Okay, I’ll give it a go.’ She was determined to prove him wrong.  
‘You’re sure?’  
‘Yes, I can resist you.’ Mentally she prepared herself, certain that all he was going to do was kiss her, or tickle her. How hard could it be?   
‘That’s not really the point,’ he frowned, wondering if she had misunderstood, ‘I’m not testing how much you desire me.’  
‘Does it matter?’  
‘Not really.’ Gently, he moved her onto her back so that he could have access to all of her body. She shivered in anticipation, wondering what he was going to do.   
‘First I’m going to kiss your neck, okay?’  
‘Okay.’ She thought it would be clunky, but there was something appealing about knowing what he was about to do, and where, already her body was tingling with anticipation. By the time he began to kiss her, starting behind her ear and heading down her neck with gentle, moist presses of his lips, she knew it was going to be difficult; the urge to touch him, to kiss him in return, was already crackling throughout her entire body. Clamping her arms to her sides, she was determined to show him, however, that she could wait for longer than he thought she could.  
‘Now I’m going to kiss your shoulders. Any objections?’  
‘No.’ Her voice hardly wavered, she had got this.  
Stooping over her, he planted light kisses along her collar bone, before moving downwards towards her breasts.  
Oh no. Now it would start to get harder.   
He felt her flinch. ‘Shall I keep going?’  
‘Yes.’ Her answer came out in a strangled gasp and she coughed, trying again, ‘Yes.’  
Trying not to smile, Ben stroked her breasts with his fingers, piling on the kisses until she thought she would snap, but, biting her lip, she managed to keep her hands at her sides, focusing on the delicious feelings that his actions created inside her, ignoring everything else.  
‘You’re doing well,’ he murmured against her nipple, his breath tickling the sensitised tip. ‘But how much longer?’  
She didn’t reply, wanting her success to speak for itself.   
‘I’m going to kiss your stomach now.’  
It didn’t escape her notice that he was getting aroused too. ‘Okay.’  
But she squeaked as he descended even further down her body. ‘Can I touch your thighs?’ he asked huskily, in-between kisses, his fingers just hovering over them.  
‘Sure,’ she tried to sound nonchalant but inside she was screaming at her limbs, telling them to remain still. Already her fingers were starting to twitch.  
He was impressed by her self-control, if it had been him he knew that he would have given up ages ago. Just one touch from her in a certain place would finish him off. Trying to ignore his own needs, he focused on caressing her, his lips roaming lower and lower until they were just above the bush of hair that covered her most intimate parts.  
‘Ben!’  
‘You’re giving up?’ he paused, peering up at her. She looked utterly beautiful; her cheeks were flushed, her eyes shining with the desire that she was trying to suppress, her hair hanging damply around her face. He fell in love with her in that moment all over again.  
‘No,’ she closed her eyes, waiting for the inevitable.  
But he remained there a while, kissing her gently across her stomach again, then heading downwards to kiss the inside of her thighs, only to pull back, teasing her. Then, just as she began to feel disappointed that he was not going to test her resolve all the way, and she was going to have to take matters into her own hands, he finally asked her, if he could kiss her, ‘down there.’  
‘Yes.’ Finally, she thought, but then she also thought that perhaps he had been nervous because he had not done it before and she felt bad.  
Parting her legs carefully, he dived in. All at once she felt him, his lips and tongue on her most sensitive of all sensitive areas. Dammit, this is amazing! Strangely, it was easier than she expected not to do anything in return - the feelings were so delicious, so all-consuming, that she couldn’t do much except feel them in return, wanting to savour every small reaction that her body made in response to him. Feelings that built up, and up, and up until there was the sudden, inevitable explosion that made her cry out loud, her body shuddering and trembling under its influence. With one final kiss, Ben returned to her side, holding her close until the waves of passion had subsided.  
‘There, I knew I could do it.’ Her arms snaked around him.  
‘I could be really mean,’ he replied, burying his head into her shoulder, ‘but I won’t.’  
‘Oh,’ she realised what he was getting at, ‘you didn’t say I could touch you yet, did you.’  
‘It’s fine. You can touch me whenever and wherever you like,’ he urged her, knowing that there was one particular part of him that was making its presence felt, needing its own release. ‘Can we…?’  
‘Yes,’ she murmured, ready to have him inside her again. Sitting up, she manoeuvred herself to a more comfortable position and allowed him to take hold of her hips. Framing his face with her hands, she leaned forward to kiss him as he held on to her tightly and she lowered herself onto him, kissing him deeply, hungrily, as powerful sensations surged through her.  
‘I don’t want anyone else but you,’ he whispered into her ear, as the intensity of their connection started to overwhelm him.  
‘Ever?’ She couldn’t imagine being this much in love again; there was something so vital, so fundamental about their feelings for each other that it seemed impossible she could feel the same about any one else.  
‘Ever,’ he agreed readily.  
Afterwards, Rey lay on Ben’s chest, exhausted but happy, although she knew her happiness was tinged with the sadness of knowing their time together would be temporary. The initial warmth of their exertion soon subsided, and she began to shiver.  
Ben was concerned, ‘You’re cold.’ He started to get up, ‘Let’s get you to bed.’  
Gathering up her clothes, he carried her into the bedroom, following her directions as he had no clue where it was. As he laid her down on the bed, she grasped hold of his arm, whispering plaintively, ’Stay with me.’  
‘I will,’ he agreed, making sure that she was well covered in the blankets she gave to him. ‘I’ll wait until you’re asleep.’  
At Rey’s insistence, Ben lay down next to her, and she cuddled up to him, making her wonder how them being in different places worked. ‘You still can’t see my surroundings?’  
‘Not at all. It’s like you’re here with me.’  
‘Where’s that? A house?’  
‘No, no,’ he said, smiling slightly.  
‘A ship?’  
‘Not even close.’  
‘What then?’  
‘A garage.’  
‘A garage!’ She didn’t know whether to laugh or be worried about him.  
‘It’s fine,’ he insisted, stroking her hair. ‘It’s warm and dry. And there’s nothing alive in it except for me.’  
‘But… a garage?’ Perhaps it was the emotion that had been released earlier but she started to cry, hating to think of him being all alone, with only a hard floor for a bed.  
‘Oh Rey,’ he said tenderly, kissing the top of her head, ‘it’s only temporary.’  
‘You should be here, with me,’ she grumbled, knowing, deep down, that she was still finding it difficult to forgive him for choosing to be away from her.  
‘I’m here now.’ His heart ached, and he was made painfully aware of why he had been reluctant to break their period of separation. It had been purely for selfish reasons; he hadn’t wanted to deal with the emotional fallout, Rey’s as well as his own. But considering it was just as selfish to want to be with her, it seemed he could not escape from the trap created by their attachment, just as the Jedi code warned them. Yet he did not regret it. Even though he knew that for the sake of one night together, it would take him many months to get used to being without her again.  
Not wanting to spend the rest of her limited time with him in tears, she made an effort to pull herself together and wiped her eyes. Putting her arms around him, she lay with him, listening to the steady sound of his heartbeat and feeling his fingers entangled in her hair, which helped her to relax. She did not want to sleep but her body demanded it, and she knew that she would have to give in eventually. Knowing it would be goodbye, she reached up and pressed her lips to his one last time, tasting their softness, the slight traces of salty dampness that told her Ben had been crying too. ‘I love you.’  
He held on to her tightly, ‘I love you too.’  
Rey woke several times in the night, her sleep restless and filled with dreams, too hazy to grasp in their entirety but filled with feelings of love and togetherness. The first time, she was surprised to see that Ben was still there, his eyes closed, sleeping soundly. The second time she awoke, to her dismay, he had gone.


	7. Uncertain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey confesses to Rose that she is not sure she is happy with how her life is turning out. Rose reminds her that she has the freedom to choose what she wants to do now. They talk about the forthcoming Victory celebrations, that Poe has organised to remember the heroes of the war against the Empire and the First Order.

The days flew past, turning into months, into another year without Ben. Her days settled into a comfortable routine. Working on the project at the temple with Pieta and Kassype, steadily making the entire archive accessible. Spending the evenings with Rose and Finn. Talking to the therapist once a week, which helped her to become more open about her feelings. Then, on her days off, spending as much time as she could with the Falcon, working with the mechanics to bring it back to its best condition, or, if he was free, helping Finn to further hone his abilities in the Force. It was a hard slog, especially at the Temple, and many times she wished she could be doing something else. But she didn’t want to let Poe down by abandoning the one project he had given her. As she discussed with Finn and Rose, this was the reality of their lives now. A steady role in the new government, their lives of adventure behind them for now. Or so it seemed.   
At night, Rey imagined that there could be another way, indulging her continuing search for a higher purpose. One of her favourite dreams involved her and Ben roaming the galaxy as quasi-Jedi, using their knowledge, strength and abilities to help those who needed it most. Individuals and communities who laboured under the demands of others, those who experienced great pain or suffering. Those who were enslaved, oppressed or exploited. It was, so she thought, the life that Ben was already living, and she often wished that she could join him. But, until he was ready to be with her, she knew that her life was, for the time being, mapped out for her.  
For their part, Finn and Rose tried to encourage her to see that, difficult as it was, she had a life beyond her connection with Ben. They knew that she loved him deeply, but Rose in particular was concerned that Rey was ultimately limiting herself, choosing to wait for Ben rather than living her life as she wanted. Like she had waited on Jakku for her parents to return. Gently, they encouraged her to see beyond such limitations, and Rey started to realise that she didn’t need to wait for anyone. That she was being fatalistic, waiting for things to happen rather than taking her own life in her hands and shaping it for herself.  
‘You know you can do anything you want to, don’t you?’ Rose gently reminded her one afternoon, as they sat in the garden of Merko’s cafe, enjoying the heady scent of the flowers around them. ‘I’m sure Poe won’t mind if his idea to make you custodian of the Temple is more flexible than he originally envisaged it.’  
‘I know,’ Rey sighed, putting her cup down. ‘I’m not sure I even want to be custodian of it after spending so much time there. There’s nothing there but ghosts really.’  
Rose nodded. ‘I was saying to Finn yesterday that we you need to get out of there more. It’s making you look pale and ill…’  
‘It’s not that bad is it?’ Rey’s hand flew to her face, wondering what she had missed.  
‘No, it’s never that bad,’ laughed Rose, peering at her friend over the rim of her cup. ‘But I get the feeling that you want to do something with more life in it?’  
‘I need a purpose,’ she sighed again. It was a question that had been bugging her for the past few months. ‘Have you thought about what you’re gonna do once the rehabilitation project is over?’  
‘Oh yeah, there’s loads of things I want to do.’  
‘What like?’  
Rose smiled. ‘Poe’s finally got the Senate to agree to his project about looking into the origins, and need for, slavery.’  
‘He has?’ Rey knew that Poe had been working on that project ever since he had come to Coruscant, pushing for the Senate to tackle one of the most enduring problems in the galaxy. ‘That’s fantastic.’  
‘And he’s always promised that I could help him with it,’ Rose went on, pouring them both a fresh cup of fruit tea. ‘So I’m hoping that I can start on that before the other project finishes.’  
‘When have you got time?’  
‘Oh, I’ve got time. The number of troops searching for their families has died down massively now,’ Rose explained. ‘It’s mostly follow-up work we’re doing.’  
Rey knew that Rose had probably told her all this before and she felt bad for not paying enough attention to what her friends were up to. Her mind was always preoccupied with other things. ‘I really need to get out of my head more,’ she complained, ‘you will tell me when I’m becoming too self-absorbed, won’t you?’  
‘We all get caught up in our own lives,’ shrugged Rose, not seeing the issue. Rey had always been distracted about something or other, ever since she had first known her. She couldn’t see that changing very soon. ‘And you’ve got a lot to think about. Oh, I know what I wanted to ask you. How’s the Falcon coming along?’  
‘It’s very nearly finished,’ said Rey excitedly, ‘there’s still a couple of specialist parts that we’ve not been able to trace, but we can make do without those for the moment. You’ll have to come for a spin in it!’  
‘I’d like that. It’s been ages since we’ve been off planet.’ Suddenly, a bleeping noise could be heard coming from Rose’s bag and, apologising to Rey, she picked it up, pulling out a small device. ‘Looks like Finn needs me for something,’ she said regretfully. ‘I guess it is time to be heading back.’  
As they walked back to their respective offices, Rose reminded Rey that they had a dress fitting the next day. ‘You mustn’t forget. It’s not long until the victory celebrations kick off.’ Eager to commemorate the battles against the Empire and the First Order, Poe had initiated a weekend of celebrations that included a range of events including the unveiling of a new statue in Victory Plaza. The theme of the statue had remained a closely guarded secret, and even Poe’s closest friends did not know what it represented.  
‘When are they, again?’ Rey was grateful for Rose’s reminders, she always struggled to remember the details of everything she was supposed to be doing.  
‘Two weeks time,’ said Rose patiently, knowing that remembering things was not Rey’s strong point.  
‘I’ll be so glad when it’s over,’ the preparations seemed to have been dragging on for weeks.  
‘You and me both,’ laughed Rose, taking hold of her friend’s hand. ‘It’s taken over my life!’  
‘But you’re so organised,’ moaned Rey, wishing she could have an ounce of Rose’s common sense. ‘I just can’t get my head into these things.’  
‘That’s because it’s always somewhere else!’ laughed Rose, squeezing Rey’s hand tightly as they went to pay for their meal. ‘Come on, we need to get back. We’ll talk more tonight.’


	8. Victory Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poe's day of victory celebrations arrives, much to Rey's consternation. Dressed up as an integral part of proceedings, which involves laying a tribute of flowers on a special statue that Poe has commissioned for the plaza, Rey struggles to concentrate on what she needs to do. It's not helped by Ben wanting to make contact with her, on this day of all days. They chat about all kinds of things, including whether or not they want children, which Ben is not sure about.

Finally, the day of the victory celebrations arrived. With only two hours to go before the event, Rose was hurrying down to Rey’s apartment, concerned that if she was running late, Rey would be running even later.  
‘Rey? Are you ready yet?’  
Leaving the door open for Finn, who was lagging behind her, Rose walked into the apartment’s living space to find Rey emerging from her bedroom in a bit of a state.  
‘Not really.’  
‘Why am I not surprised?’ Rose tutted, seeing that Rey was anything but ready. Despite her best efforts, the Jedi’s hair was still hanging messily down her back and, whilst she had her dress on, she was struggling to do up the buttons on the back.  
Embarrassed, Rey looked at Rose helplessly. ‘Can you just…?’  
‘Of course.’ Putting down the floral tributes she was holding on a nearby table, Rose helped Rey to get into her dress, and did up the buttons, making sure it fitted properly. ‘Now we need to do your hair and face.’  
‘Do we have to?’ Rey hated all the fuss, wishing she could wear her normal, comfortable attire.  
‘We do.’ Going into the bathroom, Rose emerged with everything she needed to prettify the reluctant Jedi. Brushing Rey’s hair to remove the tangles, she tied it back neatly in a long plait. A quick application of make-up and Rey was finished. Stepping back to appraise her work, Rose was amazed by the difference it made. ‘You look beautiful.’  
‘So do you.’ Rose was wearing a similar gown, her long dark hair gathered back and curled so that it fell over her shoulders. Rey wished she could look as effortless as Rose did but instead she only felt hot and uncomfortable, not liking the way that the dress clung to her body.  
‘Now for the head-dress.’ Once it was pinned into place, they were both ready.  
‘Hello?’  
‘Come on in, Finn, we’re through here,’ called Rey, smoothing out the creases in her long skirt. She had never worn a dress before but Poe had insisted that she and Rose needed to wear formal outfits to present the tributes in honour of the celebration of the battles of Coruscant and Naboo, and their eventual victory over the First Order. It was how she had come to find herself wearing a long blue, sleeveless gown, its deep V-shaped neck already letting in the cold, and the long, gauzy skirt presenting a significant trip hazard. But she would have coped better with it if she had slept better. For some reason her night had been filled with dreams and memories of the past, some of it good, but most of it better forgotten.  
‘Ready yet?’ Finn stopped in his tracks when he saw them both, a big grin spreading over his face. ‘You two look amazing!’  
‘You don’t look bad either,’ said Rose, throwing an admiring glance at their friend. He was dressed in a smart blue shirt, tucked into navy trousers, and finished off with a navy jacket that was shorter at the front, tapering down to two long tails at the back. A light blue sash with the insignia of the Republic was draped across his shoulder. ‘Very handsome.’  
‘Poe knows what he’s doing,’ grinned Finn, accepting the compliment.  
‘I hope all this fuss is worth it,’ grumbled Rey, picking up her tribute and making sure that she had a bottle of water with her. It was going to be a long ceremony and she was already feeling nervous.  
‘It will be,’ laughed Finn, draping Rey’s sash over her shoulder and following her out of the apartment, ‘the HoloNet’s going to be there, it’ll be broadcast to the whole galaxy.’  
Idly, Rey wondered if Ben would see it. In the night, she’d had a particularly vivid dream about him, only she could barely remember it now it was morning. Try as she might, she had not been able to reclaim it, but Ben’s presence still lingered on the edges of her awareness ever since she had woken up. As if he was there with her, but he was in another room. It was most disconcerting.  
‘We better get going,’ said Rose, as Rey typed in the code to lock the door, ‘or we’ll be late for the ceremony.’  
‘It’s only a short walk,’ said Finn reassuringly as they went over to the elevators. After waiting for a while, eventually an elevator became available and they hurried in. As the elevator descended, Rey fiddled with her tribute, wishing that the ceremony could be over and done with already. She disliked public events, they always seemed to come with fawning dignitaries and nosy reporters, and she was never in the mood for being on show.  
You seem nervous.  
The calm, steady voice took her by surprise. Looking up, she saw Finn was talking animatedly to Rose. It hadn’t been either of them who had spoken. Where did you come from?  
I dreamt about you last night and now I can’t stop thinking about you.  
The same. It was first time she had heard from him in months but as much as she loved Ben, he had not picked the best time to try and connect with her. Already she felt flustered. This could be awkward.  
The elevator stopped on the ground floor, and the doors opened, Rey following Finn and Rose out into the lobby.  
Why? What are you doing?  
Outside on the streets it was already horribly busy. Rey struggled to keep up with Finn and Rose as they made their way through the crowds, the dress clinging to her legs as she walked in shoes that pinched and hurt her feet. Hordes of citizens, of all ages and species, lined the streets, waiting for the parade that would take place in an hour’s time. Colourful flags and banners had been hung from the buildings, home-made ones as well as the official flags hanging from the lamp-posts. There was an atmosphere of excitement and happiness, the usual pollution and noise of traffic that dogged the city were mercifully absent as the skyways had been closed except for essential services.  
Hello?  
Give me a moment. Her dress was dragging on the sidewalk, and she was getting behind the others. Picking up the loose material, she hurried after Rose, almost dropping her tribute in the process.  
It’s not a good time, is it?  
No, not really. But don’t go, she added, loathe to miss the opportunity to speak to him. Rey felt a stitch starting to jab beneath her ribs, her anxiety starting to get the better of her. Still, she could see Rose and Finn in front of her and she followed them doggedly.  
What’s happening?  
She could hear the frustration in his voice. There’s a ceremony to celebrate the end of the war with the First Order.  
What’s it been, two years?  
His scepticism was palpable. Poe wants us to do something every year.  
Don’t tell me - he made you dress up for it?  
She had to be getting close to the centre of events now, but Finn and Rose showed no signs of slowing down. The crowds were getting more and more difficult to negotiate as they got closer to the Senate building, and Rey was feeling harassed outwardly and inwardly. Yeah, he got me in a bloody dress.  
His laughter echoed in her head. This I have to see!  
I bet you would.  
Finally, Rey could see the stage set up outside the entrance to the Senate, where Finn and Rose were now headed. Juggling her dress and her tribute was difficult but she managed to keep up and soon she was being admitted behind the rope that surrounded the area reserved for those involved in the ceremony. Behind the scenes, they found Chancellor Poe Dameron having his hair primped and his clothes checked over by his two assistants, which Rey saw, with amusement, included a rather flamboyant cape.  
‘Finn, Rose, Rey!’ Poe greeted them enthusiastically, glad to see his friends. He was already fed-up with his fussy assistants, who had not left him alone since he had woken up that morning. He knew that he looked fine. His dark hair was flecked with even more grey, and he had slightly more creases on his face, but he was as handsome and rakish as ever.  
‘Have you been taking fashion tips from Lando?’ asked Rey quizzically, appraising Poe’s cape.  
‘You don’t like it?’ Poe pretended to look hurt. ‘I had it made especially. Every Chancellor should have a cape.’  
‘I like it,’ said Finn admiringly, ‘it suits you.’  
‘Thanks,’ Poe gave Finn a genuine smile. Turning to Rey and Rose, he looked them both up and down, ‘You both look beautiful.’  
‘Thank you,’ said Rose graciously, still looking perfect despite their hurried walk through the streets.  
‘I don’t feel beautiful.’ As much as Rey tried, her lack of enthusiasm was obvious.  
‘Do try to enjoy yourself, Rey,’ said Poe with a pained look on his face. Putting his arm around her, he squeezed her shoulders, ‘Or at least pretend.’  
‘I’ll try.’  
Could he be more patronising?  
That answered Rey’s question as to whether Ben was still there. You can hear what’s going on?  
Bits. Give Poe a kick from me.  
I’d like to give him more than a kick.  
‘Has she been like this all the way here?’ Poe asked Rose, having tried to speak to Rey several times and failing.  
‘I’m afraid so,’ said Rose, despairing of her friend. ‘It’s okay, me and Finn will be ready to lay our tributes.’  
‘What?’ Rey realised that they were talking about her, ‘Sorry, I’ve got something on my mind that’s all.’  
I like what you did there.  
‘Well, at least try and focus for the ceremony,’ said Poe gently. ‘It would be nice if you could lay your tribute at the same time as the others.’  
Just lay him out already.  
‘I will.’ Rey felt nauseous. Taking a deep breath to try and clear it, she wondered if a moment alone would steady her nerves. ‘How long have we got?’  
‘About fifteen minutes. Why?’  
‘I’m just going to er, meditate to clear my head,’ Rey said, ‘give me a shout when we’re on?’  
‘We will.’  
Leaving Finn and Rose to go over things with Poe, Rey found a secluded spot in-between the back of the stage and one of the narrow thoroughfares that gave access to the side of the Senate building. There was no-one around and she squatted down on the ground, trying to steady her already considerable nerves. Putting her head into her hands, she closed her eyes, trying to identify the source of the tension in order to ease it but as she sat there, she became aware of something else, a familiar presence. ‘Who’s there?’ she whispered from behind her hands.  
‘It’s me,’ came a soft voice in reply.  
Hesitantly, Rey opened her eyes, peering out through her fingers to see that Ben was crouched down beside her. Her heart immediately started hammering in her chest, and she reached out for him.  
‘As soon as you said you were in a dress, I had to see it,’ he grinned, leaning forward so she could put her arms around his neck, holding her around her waist to steady her. Both of them flinched as their connection asserted itself.  
‘You’re not really helping me to be calm,’ she grumbled, but only mildly.  
‘Sorry. You seemed like you could do with a cuddle.’  
Taking a deep breath, Rey looked into his eyes, ‘You’re right but I warn you, I might have to kiss you.’  
‘I was afraid of that.’ He looked her up and down, impressed by how different she looked. ‘I wouldn’t want to spoil you though, you look absolutely beautiful.’  
‘It wasn’t my choice,’ she pointed out, but her cheeks felt warm.  
‘Whoever’s choice it was, I commend them.’  
For a long moment, Rey gazed at him, content just to be together as her anxiety subsided. But her need for him was quietly insistent, and, just as she had predicted, it was not long before she reached upwards to kiss him, enjoying the initial softness and sweetness as their lips met, the gentle probing of his mouth against hers. Still, she tried to keep herself grounded, to not become lost in her emotions as she was wont to do.  
When they finally broke apart, she asked, ‘How have you been?’  
‘Missing you,’ he smiled sadly, touching her cheek. ‘But I’ve found myself a longer-term project. I should be in the same place for a bit.’  
‘Where?’  
‘Rey, five minutes!’ It was Rose, calling for her.  
‘I better go.’ She struggled to her feet, Ben helping her to keep her dress out of the dirt. Holding his hand, she quickly pressed her mouth to his one last time. ‘Will I see you later?’  
He smiled, uncertain, ‘Maybe.’  
‘Rey!’ Now it was Finn calling her.  
Reluctantly, she let go of his hand and ran back round the stage, glancing back one last time to see if their connection was still working. Ben was stood watching her leave and he waved at her, awkwardly.  
‘There you are,’ fussed Rose, checking over her hair and gown as she came back over towards them, ‘I was beginning to worry you’d run away.’  
‘Why would I do that?’ The idea was tempting, and Rey tried hard to be present in the moment, but her thoughts kept returning to Ben, his kiss still lingering on her mouth. Get a grip! she told herself firmly.  
‘How have you managed to lose all your lip gloss?’ frowned Rose, pulling out a small pot from somewhere and smearing her finger in pink gloop. ‘Hold still.’ Whilst Rey tried not to smile, Rose applied more lip gloss until she was happy with the result. ‘That’s better.’  
‘Right, we’re all here?’ Poe came over, clapping his hands together nervously.  
‘Yes, all present,’ said Rose with relief, squirrelling the pot away and making sure she had her tribute.  
‘And we all know what we’re doing?’  
‘Some of us do,’ remarked Finn waspishly, handing one of the floral tributes to Rey.  
She mouthed her thanks to him. To Poe she assured him that she would not let him down, ‘I follow Rose and Finn, and we lay our tributes at the bottom of the new statue.’  
‘Good girl,’ smiled Poe, patting her arm. ‘Right, now we all know what we’re doing, let’s go and get into position.’ He could see Mara, his assistant, staring at her hand-held device anxiously now that the ceremony about to start.  
When Mara indicated it was time, Poe led his friends round to the front of the stage where a huge crowd was waiting, filling the entire plaza. Rey had never seen so many people in one space and she felt her stomach flip-flop with nerves as they got into their positions. In front of them was already stood a number of dignitaries, senators and members of government. To calm herself, Rey went through the sequence of events in her mind. From the stage, a red carpeted platform led into the plaza where the new statue was covered with a large red cloth, waiting to be unveiled. After a short speech from Poe, the statue would be revealed and she, Finn and Rose would walk along the platform to the statue where they would lay their tributes. It seemed straightforward enough and she began to relax.  
Beside her, Finn smiled, ‘Okay?’  
‘Okay.’  
At a prearranged signal, Poe stepped up to the front of the stage, where microphones had been wired in to project his voice across the plaza. ‘Welcome everyone to the first of which I hope will be an annual celebration of the foundation of our new Republic, followed later in the year by a day to commemorate the end of the Empire and the signing of the Galactic Concordance. Two days which I hope will provide us with an opportunity to think about how far we have come, as well remember those whom we have lost. I should like, therefore, to begin with a two minute silence to remember those who lost their lives during the wars with the Empire and the First Order, those who fought, and those who were enslaved. The continuation of our freedom has always come at a high cost. Many of us have lost family, friends, colleagues. The pain will always be with us. But we cannot let that pain define us. We carry it with us but we must go beyond it. We must allow ourselves to heal rather than cling to the need for retribution or revenge. For revenge only brings a short-term answer to our pain. We must think of the future and the kind of galaxy that we want to live in. I want to live in a Republic where forgiveness is stronger than the need for retribution, where those that have killed or hurt others are encouraged to atone for the things that they have done wrong. Where they must give back to those they have taken from. Where they must repair the wounds they have caused. It is not an easy road, and the journey will be long and challenging. But it’s important that we try. We have to break the cycle of war, to heal the pain of the previous generations that prevents us from moving forward. We must not allow the hurt and the pain to fester. We must not allow the conditions that enabled the First Order and the Empire to rise to ever happen again.’  
Pausing, Poe surveyed the crowd. He could see people weeping, others standing silent, some stony faced. He knew that there would be many who disagreed with him, but he had to be strong, to keep to the moral principles that guided him and which, he hoped, had caused him to be elected. ‘With that in mind, please let us respect the two minute silence.’  
Rey stood next to Finn, tears sliding slowly down her face. Poe’s words had struck a chord in her, reflecting the eternal need of the light to be vigilant against the darkness. She was so proud of Poe in that moment, knowing that despite his sometimes pragmatic exterior, he was all heart. Reaching out, she touched Finn’s hand, needing to connect with someone. In the next moment, his fingers curled around hers tightly, and she could see that there were tears in his eyes too.  
The moment of silence ended, and Poe stepped back to the front of the stage. ‘Thank you for honouring the memory of those who have made it possible for us to be here with you today. And, in particular, we wanted to remember someone who played an integral role in the fight against the Empire and the First Order. Someone whose name will go down in history as one of the greatest women ever to serve the Republic, following in the footsteps of her adopted father, Bail Organa. We are talking about, of course, Princess and General, Leia Organa.’  
This was the signal for the covering to be removed from the statue. The crowd gasped as it was whisked away, revealing a large family portrait carved in exquisite marbles of various tones of grey. At the centre was Leia Organa, surrounded by her family; Anakin Skywalker and his wife Padme Amidala, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and their son, Ben Solo.  
‘By popular vote, the new statue chosen for Victory Plaza is one that will honour our beloved Leia,’ said Poe; this was the cue for Finn, Rose and Rey to begin their slow walk towards the statue. ‘It honours her life in politics, showing her in the traditional garb of an Alderaanian senator. It honours her fight against the Empire and the First Order but it also remembers the family that she came from, a family that straddled, at times, the light and the darkness, but always returned to the light in the end.’  
By now, Finn and the others had reached the statue; one by one, they carefully bent down and laid their tributes at Leia’s feet, then stood together, hand in hand, their heads bowed. Spontaneous applause broke out from one section of the crowd, gradually spreading across the entire plaza. Even Poe clapped, feeling the emotions stirring in his heart, hoping that somehow Leia could see, and hear, the love that people had for her, and always would.  
‘And that brings me to the legacy of the Skywalker family,’ Poe continued, once the noise had died down again. ‘A family that were torn apart by darkness, first when Anakin Skywalker was manipulated by Darth Sidious to turn to the darkness and become Darth Vader, and again when Leia’s son, Ben, was corrupted by Snoke to join the First Order and become Kylo Ren. But it was the power of love that brought them both back to the light. It reminds us of the importance of love,’ Poe continued, ‘which must become the foundation of everything we do in our New Republic. We will not act from hate or fear, but from love and hope, something that Leia was always quick to remind me of when she was alive. To that end, her statue is inscribed with our new motto; Hope, not hate; love, not destruction; forgiveness, not revenge.’  
When Poe finished his speech, there was another long round of applause. Behind the crowd, a number of starships appeared, setting off colourful fireworks that lit up the sky over the plaza. As the crowd watched, amazed, Finn turned to Rey and Rose. ‘I’m feeling so inspired right now!’  
‘Me too,’ said Rose, who was holding Rey’s hand. ‘It was a beautiful speech.’  
‘Are you okay, Rey?’ Finn looked at her with concern, she seemed very subdued, her eyes red and puffy from weeping.  
Rey nodded, wiping her eyes, ‘I was just thinking about Leia… and Han and Luke… and Ben. I wish they could be with us here, now.’  
They walked back to the main stage where Poe was waiting for them. ‘That went well, I think,’ he said when they reached him. ‘Thank you for going through with it.’ Here, he looked at Rey, hoping that she had not been too badly affected by the statue or the ceremony.  
‘It was beautiful,’ she said, wiping her eyes with her sash, much to Poe’s consternation. But he did not say anything.  
‘It was,’ said Finn fondly, ‘and it was good to see all your hard work pay off.’  
‘What did you think of the speech?’ asked Poe, linking his arm with Finn as they headed off the stage and towards the Senate building where a banquet was being hosted in their honour as Resistance heroes. Up ahead went his two assistants, Saran and Jaden, speaking rapidly and continuously into their hand-held devices, making sure that everything was running smoothly for the imminent arrival of the Chancellor. ‘It wasn’t too much?’  
‘No, it was perfect,’ said Finn. He whispered, ‘What are those two so worried about?’ gesturing towards the assistants. He could sense panic in their voices, the Force around them swirling with tension and concern.  
‘I don’t know anymore,’ grinned Poe as they entered the Senate building, ‘and neither do I care. I’m so sick of them fussing around me all the time. Oh, I hope you don’t mind, I swapped the seats around so that you’re sat next to Rey and Rose. In their wisdom, those two had mixed everybody up but I thought that you both might want to sit next to each other.’  
‘Why would I mind?’ said Finn gratefully, glancing behind him to see Rose and Rey walking closely together, giggling about something or other. ‘I think Rey will appreciate it too, she seems a bit fragile today.’  
‘I thought she might,’ agreed Poe, ‘especially being reminded of Leia and you know who. I mean, how long has it been now?’  
‘A couple of years,’ Finn shrugged. ‘I don’t know why he’s doing this to her, if I were him…’  
‘But you’re not,’ said Poe quickly, ‘and we have to respect his reasons. Considering the controversy we’ve had around Hux, I’m actually glad he’s kept away. Saves me a headache.’  
‘But it’s not fair on Rey,’ sighed Finn, feeling protective of his friend. ‘He doesn’t have to see her suffering over it.’  
‘But I thought they could connect together across space?’ argued Poe, still not seeing what all the fuss was about. ‘You said she’d met up with him, and they could be hooking up every night as far as we know. I know you care about Rey but she’s always been rubbish about talking about her feelings, and she’s never said much about her relationship with Ben. If you want her to open up about it, you’re going to have to talk to her.’ He grimaced, ‘Rather you than me!’  
Finn squeezed Poe’s arm tightly. ‘You’re right, I need to talk to her.’  
‘You’re very focused on Rey, you have a bond with her that… that I don’t have,’ Poe went on as they entered the Senate building and headed towards the central staircase. ‘I guess I can see it from Ben’s point of view too. We talked a bit and he was very clear about his need to go and find himself now that he had the chance…’  
‘Wait a minute,’ said Finn, frowning slightly. ‘When did you talk to Ben about this?’  
‘Oh er, um…’  
‘When?’  
‘He got in touch with me around the same time that Rey came back from Ahch-To.’  
Finn looked at him in great surprise. ’Ben got in touch with you?’  
‘Yes! But shush, she’ll hear you,’ cautioned Poe as they tramped up the stairs. ‘He’s been in touch with me on and off ever since then.’  
‘Why?’ Finn was curious, firstly about why Ben would want to get in touch with Poe, and why Poe hadn’t told anyone. Even him.  
‘Many reasons,’ said Poe in exasperation, not really wanting to have to explain himself. ‘Practical reasons to do with the First Order, and the Overseers. Nothing ground-breaking.’  
‘And he talked to you about Rey?’  
‘He opened up to me, yes,’ said Poe, wondering why it was such a big deal. ‘Look, the guy’s never really lived. And he was honest that it meant he might have to sever his connection with Rey to do it. I can’t even begin to fathom how intense their connection is, but he said it was sometimes like they were one person, only with two different minds.’  
‘Yeah, Rey said something similar.’  
‘Anyway, before you get all worried about me keeping secrets from you, I did mean to tell you. It’s just with so much going on… I didn’t.’ Poe felt suddenly guilty despite his very practical reasons for keeping his conversations with Ben to himself.  
‘It’s fine,’ smiled Finn, wondering what had even prompted his concerns about Rey and Ben. ‘I guess I’m just worrying unnecessarily. About a lot of things.’  
‘It’s natural, shrugged Poe, seeing that they were getting close to their destination, ‘you’re a caring guy. And that’s what we love about you.’  
Behind them, Rey followed quietly with Rose, who had been talking non-stop about the ceremony since they had left the plaza. She’d hardly needed to say anything in response, just nod and add a few words here and there to make it look like she was listening. In reality, she had been trying to earwig Finn and Poe’s conversation, knowing that they were talking about her and Ben. She’d caught the gist of their conversation with her honed Jedi senses and was surprised to find out that Ben had been talking to Poe for a while now. And not told her. Although, as she reminded herself, their time together had been focused on other things, it still rankled, slightly souring her earlier excitement that their connection might be reignited again once she was alone.  
The banquet, arranged by several of the Senators from the Core Worlds, was being held in one of the grand meeting halls on the first floor of the Senate building. Built many centuries before, it was panelled in expensive Chandrilan marbled stone, and divided up into bays which were marked by a series of classically moulded pillars. Although it had not entirely survived the recent wars unscathed (laser blasts had taken large chunks out of some of the pillars), it remained one of the most ostentatious reminders of the Republic’s wealth and influence across the galactic stage.  
Ushered in by several waiting staff wearing the same light blue uniforms and Republic insignia, Rey and Rose entered the hall to find it set up with circular tables arranged around a stage in the middle for performers and speakers. The bays and pillars were decorated with colourful flags and streamers in the same manner as the streets outside, each flag carrying an image of someone that had been lost during the wars. Rey was pleased to see that Leia’s image was prominent amongst them, as well as Chewbacca and Prue, and she excitedly pointed it out to Rose.  
‘I wonder where we’re sitting?’ said Rose, looking around the room with interest. Already it was buzzing with senators and dignitaries, some she recognised.  
‘I wouldn’t even know where to start,’ admitted Rey, her anxiety about public events resurfacing with a vengeance. Already she could hear the murmurs of interest about the Resistance heroes entering the room, and she resolved to stay close to Rose and Finn in case anyone tried to engage her in small talk.  
Shunning usual protocol, Poe had been insistent that every table would carry the same hierarchical weight; there would be no top table. He’d also come up with the idea that there would be an empty seat on each table, so that he could work his way around the room, rather than being confined to the same table all evening. Canny Poe was determined not to endure too many drunken bores, which inexplicably happened at every event he attended.  
The afternoon passed into evening, the first of several light courses eventually being served to the ravenous guests, who had been treated to a variety of speeches and performances beforehand. Sat with Rose and Finn, Rey tried to take an interest in the proceedings, but her mind was not on the banquet. She tried the best she could to enjoy the food, to talk cheerfully and thoughtfully about a variety of subjects in-between the performances to the other guests, but she was soon looking for a way out, knowing that she was just going through the motions. Being on show made her feel anxious, and she couldn’t relax, worried that someone would ask her a question that she couldn’t answer, or that she would say the wrong thing. It didn’t help that her strength in the Force was attuning her to everyone else’s underlying emotions, making her realise that most people there were feeling the same as she did. Eventually, the stress got to her so much that she began to crave some fresh air and a break, some time alone. It was the only thing that would help to calm and reinvigorate her so that she could make it through the rest of the event.  
Making her excuses, Rey got up to leave the table, ostensibly to visit the bathroom. Rose looked about to come with her but Rey managed to encourage her to stay. ‘I won’t be long.’  
‘Don’t be, or we’ll send out a search party,’ said Finn jokingly. He could sense her anxiety and didn’t blame her for wanting to get away for a while.  
‘No need for that,’ said Rey, managing a smile, ‘I can’t get lost between here and the bathroom, can I?’  
‘You know the proper food’s coming soon?’ If anything would entice Rey back, Finn knew that it would be the food. He put most of her concerns down to the fact that it had been a long and stressful day, without much to eat. Most other guests were drowning their nervousness in the freely available alcohol, but he knew that was not Rey’s style.  
‘I’ll be sure not to miss it,’ she grinned, taking off her sash and draping it over the chair. Already she had removed the headdress, undoing her hair so that it hung loose over her shoulders in an earlier attempt to feel more relaxed.  
Leaving the noisy, over-heated banqueting hall, she walked down the carpeted corridor towards the bathroom. It was not her eventual destination however; on one of the upper floors was a small roof garden. She had been there with Poe and Finn before, and she thought it would be the ideal place to have a rest and recuperate from the hard work of socialising.  
After freshening herself up in the bathroom, she was passing by one of the adjacent corridors on her way to the garden when someone grabbed her arm rather roughly, ‘Come this way, please, miss.’  
Wrenching her arm away, she was about to whack whoever it was, when she did a double take. ‘Ben? What…? How…?’ She couldn’t speak for excitement, grabbing hold of him, ‘What are you doing here?’  
‘I was about to ask you the same thing,’ he smiled back, holding onto her waist and pulling her close.  
‘I was going to get some fresh air.’ She stared at him, noticing that he looked smarter than when she had seen him earlier, dressed in a black jacket and shirt combination that reminded her of his father. And he had brushed his hair.  
‘Fed up with the banquet already?’  
‘How do you know about that?’  
Bending down, Ben planted a kiss firmly on her lips. ‘Because I’m here too.’  
‘What? Nooo,’ Rey couldn’t believe it and she stared at him, astonished. ‘You’re here? On…?’  
‘Hush, don’t broadcast it,’ he said, pulling her further into the side corridor just in case someone saw them together. ‘I’m slipping in and slipping out, like you suggested.’  
‘How come?’ She wondered what had changed his mind.  
He sighed, touching her cheek. ‘I needed to see you. In person.’ Then his seriousness suddenly vanished, and he smiled, revealing his dimples. ‘So, here I am. What are we doing?’  
Rey was all at sea, her mind unable to grasp what he had just said. ‘This isn’t a joke, right?’  
‘Of course not.’ Reaching past her, he touched the wall behind them. ‘See?’  
‘Could be a lucky guess,’ she countered, gazing up at him.  
‘It could be, but why would I lie?’  
Satisfied that he was real, she put her hands on his chest, excited with the possibilities that his actual presence suggested to her. ‘How did you get here?’  
‘I got a lift with some cargo haulers,’ he replied softly, their faces inches apart. ‘It was a bit last minute and I’ve got to go back tomorrow but that should give us enough time to do whatever you want.’  
She thought for a moment, ‘Why don’t we go over to the Temple? We could go up to the roof, look out over the city. It’s beautiful up there.’  
‘Sounds perfect.’ He had a sudden thought, ‘What about your friends? Don’t you need to tell them where you’re going?’  
As they passed by one of the attendants, Rey gave them a message for Finn and Rose, explaining that she felt nauseous and had gone back to her apartment. Message delivered, she felt the thrill of adventure as she and Ben headed out of the Senate, hand-in-hand, like naughty children doing something they shouldn’t.  
They crossed the now empty plaza, heading for the Temple Precinct. It was dark but the city was well lit, the pollution obscuring any but the most brightest of stars. The square was still hung with the same colourful banners from earlier, although several teams of workers were cleaning up the rubbish and taking down the stage that had been set up for the event. Rey took Ben to see the new statue and he frowned when he saw what was supposed to be his likeness.  
‘My nose isn’t that big, is it?’  
‘It’s not that small either.’  
‘Thanks.’ Ben looked at the other statues instead, agreeing that it was, all in all, a good tribute to his mother. ‘She would be pleased with it, I think. Although, she always preferred Chandrila to Coruscant.’  
‘I think Poe did too, but the citizens here kicked up fuss so the Senate voted. And Coruscant won.’  
‘Fair and square?’ Ben winced, seeing that the same rivalries were evident despite it supposedly being a brand new era for the Republic.  
‘I guess so.’ Rey had to admit that she was not that involved in the minutiae of politics.  
‘You and me both. Come on,’ he said, pulling at her hand, ‘let’s go.’  
The Jedi Temple was across the other side of the plaza and down the Processional Way. They walked slowly towards it, enjoying being together. ‘You’ve been to the Temple before?’  
‘Ages ago,’ Ben nodded, ‘we had a look round when I was thinking about what to do with it.’  
‘Who’s we?’  
He chuckled, ‘Me and Hux.’  
‘Hux?’ Rey looked aghast, ‘I thought you hated him.’  
‘Yes, but we had a few things in common. And one of those things was the belief that the past should be annihilated.’ He paused for a moment before adding, ‘We both agreed that we should blow up the temple and build something new instead.’  
‘Thank goodness you didn’t,’ she said, alarmed that he had even contemplated it. ‘We would have lost all of that knowledge.’  
‘I know that now,’ he agreed, ‘fortunately we couldn’t agree on what should replace it. Then I got distracted by something else, probably you, and forgot about it.’  
Rey had to laugh at that, ‘I thought I was the distracted one?’  
‘We’re more similar than you think,’ was Ben’s wry observation.  
They reached the immediate environs of the temple, passing underneath the remains of the bronze statues that had guarded the entrance for centuries, representing the Warrior Masters and Sage Masters. Eschewing the steps up to the heavy metal doors, Rey led Ben around to a side door that was hidden underneath the gigantic platform the Temple stood upon. Entering the code, she pushed open the door and waited for Ben to enter before closing it behind them. Immediately they were plunged into darkness.  
‘Didn’t you think about putting the light on first?’ came Ben’s voice to the side of her.  
‘It’s okay, I know where it is.’ Pressing the switch illuminated the low corridor that stretched out in front of them, leading to the basements that were situated at this level of the temple. Although Rey and her assistants tried to keep the place clean, there was dust and cobwebs everywhere, giving the corridor an eerie, abandoned feel. Even Ben shivered, ‘I don’t remember this.’  
‘I spend all my time down here, you get used to it,’ said Rey, leading the way towards the stairs that would take them up into the temple proper. ‘Just to warn you, the elevators aren’t working, so we’re going to have to climb up.’  
‘I imagine that suits a scavenger,’ he said teasingly, ‘although you’re hardly dressed for it.’  
‘I don’t know why anyone wears a dress,’ complained Rey, gathering up the loose material so she could keep up with Ben’s long strides. ‘They’re so impractical.’  
‘I’m happy to take it off you, if you’d like.’  
Rey laughed, ‘Later, hotshot. It’s not very warm in here.’ Immediately as she said it, Ben removed his jacket and started to drape it around her. ‘I wasn’t hinting…’  
‘I know, but you need it more than me.’ He coaxed her to put her arms through the sleeves and eventually she accepted, admitting to herself that she did need it. The jacket swamped her, but it was cosy and warm, smelling faintly of Ben.  
‘Thank you.’ She noticed that Ben’s shirt wasn’t quite as smart as she’d previously thought. Where it had fallen out of his trousers, she could see that the edges were tatty, starting to fray. ‘Are you still wearing the clothes that you got from the Overseers?’  
‘Hmm?’ Ben wasn’t really listening, looking about him with interest.  
‘Nothing.’ She didn’t really suppose Ben cared much about what he was wearing. And neither did she.  
As they made the long, slow climb to the topmost part of the building, Rey did not want to contemplate how many floors it encompassed, or how many flights of stairs it represented. They broke up the monotony by going to look at some of the former wonders of the Temple, including the remains of the Archive Library, the Room of a Thousand Fountains, and the grandiose Great Hall. It was difficult to imagine how the Temple had looked in its heyday before it was ruined by the fires that had raged after the temple’s destruction by Vader. Ben and Rey looked mostly in silence, over-awed by the scale of the building. Like Rey, Ben could feel traces of the past through the Force, catching glimpses of ghostly conversations and events. Once it had once been busy with Jedi students and Masters, living, training and learning together. Now it was a shell, centuries of history gone.  
Finally they reached the roof, emerging out of a small door hidden within one of the stone columns that decorated the sides of the ziggurat. Both of them had aching legs from the sheer amount of stairs to climb but it was forgotten as soon as they looked at the view out over the city.  
Rey gasped with amazement. ‘It’s so beautiful!’ She had no love for the polluted, crowded planet but up on the roof, looking out over the skyscrapers, the city lit up against the dark sky, there was an allure to it that was not present in the daylight.  
Moved by the view, and by Rey’s reaction, Ben put his arm around her, holding her close. ‘I thought you’d been up here before?’  
‘Once, in the day.’ She leant her head against Ben’s shoulder, shivering with pleasure as his hand crept up under the jacket to caress her back, she could feel the touch of his fingers through the thin material of her dress. ‘With Pieta.’  
‘Who’s Pieta?’  
‘He’s working with me on the Temple,’ she explained, ‘Poe thought I needed some company.’  
‘Good for Poe. I imagine it can get quite lonely in this place.’  
‘It can,’ she agreed, ‘the memories of the past can be overwhelming.’ All that history, under their feet. ‘Did you see any of the ceremony?’ she asked him as they stood looking out into the night.  
‘No, I literally just arrived a few minutes before I saw you.’  
‘How did you get in?’ Security around events was usually very tight.  
‘I er, talked my way in.’  
‘How?’  
‘That would be telling,’ he said cryptically.  
‘I’ll put it down to the Solo charm.’  
‘Is that what you call it!’ He kissed the top of her head.  
Shivering slightly in the cool breeze, she wondered what they should do next, she had already had her fill of the view.  
‘So easily bored,’ he chided her, catching her thoughts. She was pressed up against him, his arms around her. ‘What do you suggest?’  
‘We go somewhere warm and you can help me get out of this dress.’  
‘I can’t argue with that.’  
Leaving the roof, they started to make their way down the stairs. ‘Are you hungry?’ Rey asked.  
‘Not especially,’ he replied, ‘but don’t tell me, you are.’  
‘I could always eat,’ she sighed, imagining the delicious meal that she was missing at the banquet.  
‘How you manage to stay so skinny, I’ll never know,’ he commented. ‘I’ve never known anyone so obsessed with food!’  
‘Hey!’ Playfully, Rey tried to slap him but he was quick and he ran away from her down the stairs. ‘Come back, you!’ Laughing, she chased after him, but she forgot about the long skirts of her dress and she caught her foot in them, stumbling and falling down several stairs right into Ben’s waiting arms.  
‘Careful,’ he said as she collected herself.  
Red faced and out of breath, Rey felt like an idiot. ‘Never, ever run in a dress.’  
‘I don’t think I’ll ever suffer from that problem.’ Her face was very close to his, and she looked gorgeous, if a little bedraggled. Her hair tumbling free around her shoulders, and her flushed cheeks, only added to her appeal.  
‘What?’ She was very aware of his eyes on her.  
‘You look beautiful.’ He held on to her as if he couldn’t quite trust her not to fall again.  
‘I feel like a mess,’ she complained. He was standing slightly below her on the stairs, and she found herself staring straight into his eyes. The Force was working its magic around them, she could almost hear their connection to each other fizzing and sparking, evidence of their attraction. For a moment, she didn’t want to break the spell, content to just exist in the realisation of his love for her, and she for him, the rest of their surroundings fading away until it was just them. A boy, and a girl, together.  
Then, she found herself kissing him, her hands reaching forwards to touch his face and his hair, unburdening herself of the desire that had steadily crept up on her. She explored his mouth gently, tasting how dry and chapped his lips were, clearly he had not been taking care of himself as well as he should. Ben was a little hesitant at first but he soon relaxed into her, his mouth pressed eagerly against hers, parting her lips slightly to run his tongue just inside her mouth, making her feel all hot and bothered. She found herself wanting him there and then, all he had to do was lift up her dress and reach up inside…  
Ben had obviously read her mind as he murmured, ‘Not now, sweetheart.’  
‘Why not?’ she whispered back.  
Pulling away from her, he shook his head. ‘Not here. Not with all the ghosts.’  
Rey laughed, ‘I didn’t think about that.’  
Taking her hand, he started back down the stairs. ’Let’s get out of here.’  
Eventually they made it back outside, into the cool air of the night. Ben started to feel better as soon as they were away from the ruins; it made him feel anxious, being there, as if he, the last sole surviving member of the Skywalker family, had been responsible for the temple’s destruction and decline. In his head, the atmosphere had been accusing, malignant even, and he was glad to be away from it.  
‘Did you know,’ said Rey casually, they walked back towards the inhabited parts of the city in search of food, ‘the Jedi weren’t quite as strait-laced as they liked to make out.’  
‘How so?’  
‘I found this footnote in one of the older books, which said that long as sex was dispassionate, a means of ridding yourself of any “urges”, it could be tolerated.’  
‘Really? They kept that quiet.’ Ben wasn’t sure whether to be surprised or not. He’d always considered that the Jedi had some strange views about emotions, especially love.  
‘Well, not in so many words,’ remarked Rey, trying to remember exactly what it had said, ‘but the intention was clear.’  
‘It just seems so backwards,’ he frowned, trying to get it straight in his head. ‘Romantic and familial love is forbidden in case it leads to attachment. But meaningless sex is fine. I’m sure it’s meant to be the other way around.’  
‘I don’t think they wanted to encourage the Jedi to have sex,’ she felt the need to explain, ‘but I think if it happened occasionally, it wasn’t something to be concerned about.’  
‘What about babies?’  
‘I doubt they wanted to encourage those either.’  
‘It’s something we need to be more careful about though.’  
‘We do?’ She hadn’t even thought about the implications of them sleeping together.  
‘We do,’ he said, reaching for her hand. ‘But don’t worry, I’ve done some research.’  
Of course he had. Rey felt funny at the mention of babies, ‘Do you want children?’  
It was not a question Ben had expected, and he stammered in reply. ‘Er, eventually yes. Maybe. But not now.’  
‘No.’ Rey was sure about that as well.  
‘I mean, I don’t think I could even cope with the idea of it now,’ he went on, feeling slightly panicked about the whole thing. ‘We’re still young… there’s so much more we need to do first. And then I guess because I was a bit of an accident…’  
‘You were an accident?’ Her face puckered up in confusion.  
‘Yeah, if my parents were being honest, I happened sooner than they er, expected. Mom wasn’t much older than you. Dad wasn’t ready for it, he even told me that much…’  
‘It’s okay, Ben,’ she said gently but firmly, seeing that he was getting agitated. ‘You don’t need to explain. I understand.’  
‘You do?’  
‘Yes.’ Underlying his anxiety was the same question that she had been trying to find the answer to. What did she want to do with the rest of her life? She felt like she had thought, and talked, about it endlessly but she was no closer to reaching a conclusion. And she had not even began to broach the question with Ben. He seemed clear about what he wanted to do for the moment but she got the feeling that after that, things were wide open. ‘We haven’t really thought about what we’re going to do, if we’re even going to be together, and how. I mean,’ she went on, ‘you know what you’re doing now, and I’m doing stuff here but in the longer run…’  
As she trailed off, Ben stayed quiet for a moment as they walked along past the dark, silent buildings. Then he said, ’You won’t like me asking you this,’ in the tone of voice which meant he was going to do exactly that, ‘but have you thought about what you want to do? Really thought about it?’  
‘No,’ she admitted. She had ideas but they were vague, unformed.  
‘Perhaps we can have a think about it now then? If that helps?’  
‘Yes, I think it would. But can we get some food first? I’m starving.’


	9. Where is Rey?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finn and Rose enjoy the banquet, although they are missing Rey. They manage to talk to a tipsy Poe, who is fed up of having to speak to boring senators. Neither Rose or Finn envy his position as Chancellor.

The attendant left their table after delivering the message from Rey, and Rose looked sadly at Finn. ‘She’s not coming back, is she?’’  
‘I knew she wouldn’t,’ realised Finn, picking at the remains of his food. Around them, the banquet was in full swing. The conversation was lively, the drink was flowing. ‘She’s been on edge ever since we called in on her before the ceremony.’  
‘I thought she was doing better,’ mused Rose, picking up her glass filled with bubbly, pink liquid, a popular drink on Coruscant. ‘But I wonder if the reminder of Leia set her back a bit?’  
‘It’s bound too,’ agreed Finn, leaning back as the waiting staff came to remove his empty plate. ‘Anyway, she’ll be annoyed when she knows she’s missed this delicious meal.’ It had certainly been the highlight of the evening, the rest of the entertainment had been a bit hit and miss in his opinion. There had been traditional dancing from Kashyyyk, a poetry reading, and, Finn’s favourite, a performance by some extremely beautiful Twi-lek dancers; these had been interspersed with several, rather dull, speeches from Poe and other distinguished guests. Only Poe had made any attempt at humour which, for once, Finn was grateful for.  
‘I wonder when Poe’s going to make it over to our table?’ Rose scanned the room for their other friend.  
‘There he is.’ Finn gestured to where the Chancellor was chatting animatedly to the Senator of Naboo, who was dressed flamboyantly in a long tunic. embroidered with the traditional emblems and flowers of his system. ‘I think he’ll come and see us when Merv Zapalo stops chewing his ear off.’  
Following his gaze, Rose giggled, ‘I don’t envy him having to talk to all these people.’  
Despite Finn’s reservations, Poe eventually did make it to their table, much to their delight. ‘Hey you two,’ he said cheerfully, taking a seat next to Finn. Then he looked confused, seeing that one of them was missing. ‘Where’s Rey gone?’  
‘She felt sick, so she went home,’ explained Finn, feeling slightly tipsy. ‘At least, that’s what the message said.’  
‘Why? Don’t you believe her?’ asked Poe mischievously, looking around for something to eat, knowing that he didn’t have to be on his best behaviour with his friends.  
‘I don’t know,’ admitted Finn. ‘After what you were saying earlier, for all we know she could be running off to hook up with Ben!’  
‘What?’ This was news to Rose, ‘Ben’s here? On Coruscant?’  
‘I doubt it,’ scoffed Poe, taking one of the small pots of snacks left on the table and diving into it. ‘You forget that they don’t have to be in the same space to do… whatever it is they do.’  
‘Recreating a new Jedi Order?’ suggested Rose, smiling faintly. Rey had talked to her, in confidence of course, about her experiences with Ben in an offhand moment, which had surprised Rose. Not only because of her openness about what they had been getting up to, but the fact that Rey had confided in her in the first place.  
‘Is that what they call it?’ Poe caught her meaning and winked at her.  
‘Hey,’ cried Finn, disgusted with both of them, ‘these are our friends we’re talking about. I’m sure Rey’s just not feeling very well, and now she’s safely tucked up in bed…’  
‘With Ben…’ Poe threw in casually.  
‘…getting some well-earned rest.’ Finn decided that he was going to be the one to defend Rey’s honour in the absence of any other information. ‘I think you’re wrong, and anyway, it’s rude to talk about her when she’s not here.’  
‘You’re right,’ sighed Poe, pushing away the snacks, having eaten too many. ‘But there’s precious little else to talk about. If I hear one more time how so and so thought my speech went today, I think I might die.’  
‘But most of the so-and-sos liked it though?’ Rose thought to ask him, sometimes she couldn’t tell if Poe was joking or not.  
‘Fortunately yes,’ agreed Poe, looking for an empty glass so that he could help himself to some more wine. ‘Very inspiring apparently!’  
‘That’s what I said,’ grinned Finn, grabbing a bottle and pouring Poe a generous glass of bubbly.  
‘Steady on,’ said the Chancellor suspiciously, ‘are you trying to get me drunk?’  
‘Of course not,’ Finn glanced slyly at Rose, who giggled. ‘I thought it might help you get into the mood for dancing.’  
‘You think?’ Poe sighed again, ‘I’d love to, you know I would. But those two,’ he pointed over to his omnipresent assistants, who were hovering nearby, ‘would be horrified. So I’ll have to pass.’  
‘Chancellor’s aren’t allowed to dance?’ Finn looked dismayed.  
‘Apparently not, no.’  
‘You need to change that.’  
‘I do, I really do.’ Poe suddenly felt very tired, wondering how much longer he would have to be on display before he could go home and collapse into his bed. ‘Anyway, as much as I love talking to you two, I better keep on the move.’ Reaching over, he took Finn’s hand, then Rose’s hand too. ‘Have a dance, for me. Won’t you?’  
‘We will.’  
‘Good. I’ll see you later.’ Picking up his glass, Poe reluctantly left them at their table and went to talk to some dignitaries that represented the newly reformed Techno Union, trying to rehabilitate its legacy from that of one of the prime movers in the Clone Wars.  
It was time for another performance in the middle of the room; a band that was popular across the Outer Rim was soon playing a selection of modern, uptempo classics, led by a particularly attractive, and seductive, Twi’lek singer.  
‘This is more like it,’ said Finn, tapping his foot along to the music. The songs were often played in the bars and nightclubs of Coruscant and he recognised them straight away.  
‘Yeah, it’s good.’ Rose watched for a moment. ‘It’s a shame Rey’s not here. She loves dancing.’  
‘She’s got a good sense of rhythm,’ agreed Finn, finishing off the last bit of wine in his glass.  
‘We’ll call on her tomorrow,’ decided Rose, unable to stop thinking about their missing friend. She hoped that Rey was okay. ‘Perhaps we can entice her to go for breakfast?’  
‘Brunch would be better,’ Finn baulked at the idea of having to get up early.  
Rose laughed, Finn was always so precious about his lie-ins. ‘Brunch it is.’ Finished off her own drink, she held out her hand. ‘Shall we dance?’  
‘I thought you’d never ask.’  
Finn and Rose danced together for most of the rest of the night and some of the early morning, only pausing to have a drink or rest in-between songs. With all the free drink sloshing about, the dancing even got a little raucous, encouraged by the singer of the band, who invited several of the guests to come and sing and dance with her. By the time the banquet started drawing to a close, both of them were exhausted. Unable to find Poe, they had abandoned waiting for him - assuming that he had been called away or was stuck talking to someone important, unable to get free - and walked the short distance through the quiet streets and cool night air to their apartment block. ‘I don’t envy him being Chancellor,’ was Finn’s final assessment.  
‘Do you think we should check on Rey?’ asked Rose as they got into the elevator, her finger hovering over the button for their friend’s floor.  
‘No,’ said Finn, moving her finger onto the button for her own floor, ‘she’s bound to be asleep by now. We’ll see her tomorrow.’


	10. Too much of a good thing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey should be sleeping but there are far more fun things to do. Returning to her apartment with Ben, they indulge their need for each other but it sets off Rey thinking about what she wants from life. Ben expects that she wants to start her own academy, training a new order of Jedi but Rey is not sure the galaxy needs the Jedi. In amongst the chat, they end up having lots of sex and Ben tells Rey that they need to be more careful, leading to some discussions about contraception. Rey also finds that orgasms do funny things to the Force.

Rey was lying in bed. But she was definitely not asleep, burnt out but happy. She was half draped on Ben’s chest, her eyes closed whilst Ben was tracing lazy circles on her back with his fingers. She really needed to sleep but even now, after everything that had happened, the touch of his skin on hers was electric, and she was reluctant to miss out on the limited time that they had together.  
It had started out innocently enough. After getting some food, two healthy and hearty dishes of noodles and vegetables, they had debated where to eat it, finally settling on Rey’s balcony. It had been difficult to find room amongst the many pots of colourful plants she had crammed into the space, which covered the chairs as well as the tables, but after some rearrangement, they had nestled in, wrapping themselves in blankets to ward off the chilly night air. The bubbly, fruity drink of unknown origin which the owner of the takeaway had convinced them to try, went straight to their heads, both of them un-used to the alcohol in it. Still, Rey had been surprised when Ben had suggested that they feed each other, he was normally so pernickety about eating.  
‘Come on, it’ll be fun,’ he’d said, and she’d agreed, albeit uncertainly. It did turn out to be fun, but even more it was strangely erotic, forcing Rey to concentrate hard on Ben’s face as she manoeuvred the fork towards his mouth. It was not long before she had abandoned her meal and was perched on his knee, kissing him passionately, his hands dangerously close to finding her skin underneath the gauzy fabric of her dress.  
‘I think we better take this inside,’ Ben murmured as his lips moved down towards her neck, ‘unless you want to involve your neighbours?’  
‘Not especially.’ Her neighbours included an aide to a senator, and high-up administrators in the Senate, not people she wished to alienate.  
Without even breaking stride, Ben picked her up and carried her into the living room, placing her on the couch. Now he was free to unbutton her dress, which he did slowly and carefully, in contrast to Rey who impatiently grabbed at his shirt, pulling it off over his head before he had even got half of them undone.  
‘No finesse,’ he complained, sliding down the sides of her dress to reveal her small breasts, pert and lovely, just waiting to be sprinkled with kisses.  
‘I don’t need finesse,’ sighed Rey, her hands on his shoulders and in his hair, ‘I just need you.’  
‘Fair enough,’ he was inching the fabric over her hips now, making his way slowly down towards where he imagined that she needed him the most.  
His careful movements were sending Rey into moments of intense desire that she was desperate to satiate, but she knew better than to rush him. Ben liked to take his time, whilst she always wanted to dive in and get things moving. There were benefits to both approaches, as she had found out, and she was coming round to Ben’s way more and more, especially because it meant she was learning more about her body and what it was capable of. At the moment, his light touches and gentle kisses were sending extremely sensuous messages to her brain, and she closed her eyes, relaxing back into the cushions, allowing herself to concentrate on the pleasure it gave her.  
‘You’re being very patient,’ he said, marvelling at her unusual restraint as he finally pulled off her dress, throwing it onto the floor. ‘Good.’  
Spending hours cataloguing data one data slice at a time had done that to her, and she allowed herself a small smile as he worked his way back up delicately to the space in-between her legs. She gasped as he parted the lips down there, and he paused, looking up at her, ‘Okay?’  
‘Okay.’ She found herself trembling, knowing what he was about to do.  
‘You’re sure?’  
‘Yes!’ Her anticipation was already at boiling point, and she refrained herself from pushing his head down, instead she hugged her arms around herself, feeling all at sea. But then his tongue was on her most sensitive spot, setting it on fire with such deliciousness that she almost cried out, biting her lip instead in case it made him stop again. But somewhere along the way, Ben had lost all his former timidness with her body, his mouth upon her was confident and eager, intensifying, if it was possible, her experience even more by sliding his fingers into her slit. This time she did exclaim out loud, ‘Ben!’ It was not long until she reached the peak of her pleasure, grabbing into the back of the couch as her body trembled and shuddered under its influence. Then Ben covered her with his body, and she wound her limbs around him tightly, clutching him close to her whilst he buried his face into her neck, nuzzling her skin softly with his lips. They lay like that for a while, breathing softly together.  
’That was amazing.’  
‘I know,’ he replied in a muffled voice, having felt the results through their bond. ‘Your body is amazing. The more I learn about it, the more I think…’ He trailed off, unsure how to put into words how he felt about her.  
‘You make me sound like a project,’ she said in amusement. She had got used to Ben’s need to understand everything in minute detail.  
‘The best project,’ he murmured, finally extracting himself from her shoulder to gaze upon her face.  
His hair fell in dark waves over his brow and she couldn’t resist the urge to touch it, ‘What now?’  
‘Are you never satisfied?’ He grinned at her, wondering at her stamina. He felt shattered and they had hardly got going yet.  
‘I thought you might… oh never mind.’ She idly wondered if the food would still be worth eating, or if it had congealed into an inedible mess.  
‘Might what?’  
‘Have your own needs,’ she said vaguely, suddenly feeling thirsty.  
‘Of course,’ he replied, ‘but I need to regroup first. Have you got anything to drink?’  
‘There’s tea, caf…’  
‘Where?’ He had noticed that she did not have a kitchen as such, wondering what kind of lifestyle was encouraged on Coruscant if inhabitants had to eat out all the time.  
‘In the sideboard,’ she explained, pointing over to a wooden monstrosity that was otherwise out of place in amongst the bland stylishness of the other furniture. ‘You pull it down at the front and it’s all in there.’  
‘Great.’ Mustering up some enthusiasm, Ben disappeared into the bathroom, indicating to Rey that he would sort the drinks out just as soon as he came back.  
Feeling chilly, Rey wandered into the bedroom to fetch her pyjamas then dived into the bathroom once Ben had vacated it. After peeing, she stared into the mirror for a while, wondering how she had reached this point in her life. After years of loneliness and denial, of pretending to herself that her parents would return to her, she had everything she needed. Love in all its different forms - friendship, family, sexual, romantic - with people who cared for her and who she could give her heart to in return. But the thought about where she was headed still nagged her, and she resolved to ask Ben what he thought about things when she returned to the living room.  
Emerging from the bathroom, she found that Ben had brought in the now cold and inedible food in from outside; he had wrapped a blanket around his middle and was busy making two hot drinks. He had also dug out some biscuits from somewhere.  
As she approached him, he looked round and smiled at her. ‘Okay?’  
Rey nodded, wondering how she could help. But he seemed to have everything in hand.  
‘Here you are,’ he handed her a cup and a couple of biscuits, ‘To keep your strength up.’  
‘Thank you.’ His care for her suddenly made her feel tearful; pull yourself together, she ordered herself, realising that she was on the verge of a wobble.  
Noticing her sudden change of mood, he steered her over towards the couch. There was a screen on the wall, and although he was not fond of the HoloNet for various reasons, he encouraged her to turn it on, to find something soothing that might help her to relax. There was a programme on about the diverse wildlife of Riosa which provided some useful background noise, and soon they were sitting together, snuggled up, whilst the narrator of the programme intoned dramatically about the survival chances of the Northern Fathier.  
After the biscuits and a good mouthful of hot, sweet tea, Rey began to feel better.  
‘You look better,’ Ben remarked unprompted, seeing that the colour had come back into her cheeks. ‘I thought you were going to faint before.’  
‘I don’t know what it was,’ she murmured, ‘I suddenly felt overwhelmed by everything.’  
‘Want to talk about it?’  
‘It’s what I was saying before,’ she explained, putting her now half empty cup down on the table. ‘I’ve got a good life here. I’ve got my friends, the project that Poe’s given me. But I can’t help wondering if this is where I’m meant to be?’  
‘Where do you want to be?’  
‘I don’t know,’ she admitted, ‘although, if you want to, I’d like to be with you.’  
He nodded, caressing her arm, ‘I’d like that too.’  
Rey smiled faintly. ‘But not yet.’  
‘It’s close now, I promise.’ Reaching over, he dropped a kiss on her hair. ‘Anyway, forget about me. What do you, Rey of Jakku, need?’ He remembered how excited she had been to help Kyp and the people of Exegol. He assumed that she’d had some part to play in the eventual evacuation of the planet, although she’d not mentioned it to him.   
‘I need something more meaningful to do,’ she reflected. ‘I mean, the Temple’s an interesting project but it’s all about the past. That Jedi Order is gone. And it’s not something that should be brought back.’  
‘Really?’ Ben was surprised. As the last Jedi, he’d assumed she’d want to restart the Order.  
‘I need to think about what the purpose would be,’ she said, understanding his confusion. ‘The Jedi Order lost sight of what it was for. Who it was for. And even when Luke started his own training temple, I don’t think he really knew what his purpose was either, other than training you.’  
‘I think I can see what you’re getting at,’ he agreed. ‘They only thought about training more Jedi, maintaining the Order itself, rather than thinking about what their wider purpose was, for the galaxy.’  
‘Yes - whether they were needed, or why they were needed. Or whether those students really needed to be trained.’ Here, she looked at him meaningfully.  
‘I’ve been thinking about this a lot,’ said Ben slowly, not sure whether his thoughts about what had gone wrong between him and Luke were well formed enough to be useful to her. ‘I think one of the issues for Luke was that he took so many students on. Including me. In the old days, it was one Jedi Master, training one padawan. I think too… and this might be wrong so I’d need to check with Luke… but it might be that I kind of spoiled him for other students…’  
‘What do you mean? ‘ She didn’t follow his logic.  
‘Well, I don’t mean to boast but with my er, strength in the Force, I found a lot of what he wanted me to do… well, it was easy. It came to me naturally, whereas to the others it wasn’t quite so straightforward.’ He smiled to himself, ‘Like you when you managed to escape from me on Starkiller without any training.’  
Rey nodded. ‘It was like… I just knew what to do.’  
‘Yeah, and that’s how I found a lot of the training. I mean, not all of it. But enough of it to make Luke think that he could take more and more students on.’  
‘So you think Luke trained you wrong?’  
‘No, no,’ he assured her, leaning his chin against her hair. ‘Not wrong. Just… argh, I knew this wouldn’t make any sense.’  
‘It’s okay,’ she said, looking up at him, ‘I think I understand what you’re trying to say. Luke took too much on when he should have thought more carefully about why he was training you and the other students.’  
I think that’s what I mean.’ With her scent, and her body distracting him, he was finding it hard to formulate a sentence. ‘Sometimes, I even wonder if I needed training at all. I just needed someone to talk to.’ He trailed off, the sadness returning as he remembered his younger self. ‘But we do need something, don’t we?’ he countered, playing with her hair. ‘Can we really let Force sensitives like us run around freely, without any discipline?’  
‘It’s been happening for years and the galaxy hasn’t collapsed yet.’  
He laughed at her summation. ‘That’s true.’ He thought for a moment. ‘In that case, it might have been better for everyone if Dad had got his way.’  
‘What did he want you to be?’  
‘ A pilot… a scoundrel… someone like him, I guess.’  
‘A scoundrel?’ Intrigued, she got up and moved so that she was sitting astride his legs, facing him. ‘I can’t imagine it.’  
‘Really?’ he said teasingly, but then he went on more seriously, ‘I think Dad was disappointed when I wasn’t more like him. He didn’t understand my interests. But then he was like you. He’d largely been left to fend for himself as a child. I was spoilt in comparison.’  
‘What? Because you had a family who loved you?’  
‘I was thinking more about Mom’s connections, and we weren’t short of anything. But yes, that too. Anyway, we’re getting distracted.’ Reaching up, he brushed away the stray waves of hair that clustered thickly around her face, working them into a makeshift ponytail with his hands. ‘I think you know what you need to do. It’s in here somewhere. One day it’ll emerge, a thought that will show you the way.’  
‘Is that what happened for you?’  
‘Yes. You can’t rush it though,’ he said quietly, kissing the tip of her nose. ‘How ever much you’d like to.’  
It all came back to being patient. She’d been patient for so many years on Jakku, waiting for the family that had never even been there. Why couldn’t she find that patience now? It was a mystery. ‘There is something else. When I went back to Jakku I met that older woman, do you remember?’  
‘Yes, the one who told you about the dyad.’  
‘I keep thinking about her. She was someone who was strong in the Force, but she had no real outlet for her abilities. People shunned her because they didn’t understand what she was capable of. It’s people like her I want to help, those of us who have something inside of them they don’t understand - to help them make sense of it. Like what I needed from Luke - and from you.’  
‘As I said, I think you know what you want to do,’ he repeated, leaning in to kiss her on the mouth this time, ‘it’ll come.’  
Thoughts of the future were lost as their needs in the moment came to the fore. Rey felt her heartbeat quickening as their kiss deepened, Ben’s hands finding their way inside her pyjama top to caress her breasts. She was amazed at how quickly the desire flared up inside her, there was no slow build, and she pressed against him, needing release. Immediately she felt his arousal under the blanket and she grinned inwardly, relieved that he was in synch with her.   
But then he pulled away, ‘Wait a minute.’ Gently, he lifted her up and deposited her back on the couch, before getting up and going over to the pile of clothes on the floor. Crouching down, he sifted through until he found his jacket.  
Confused, Rey watched him as he searched through the pockets, eventually locating what looked like a small, shiny, square. ‘What’s that?’  
‘Something that means we don’t have to worry about creating powerful offspring that might endanger the galaxy,’ he smiled, coming back over to where she was sat. Removing the blanket, he sat down next to her, revealing a rather large erection. ‘It goes over this.’  
‘What - that tiny thing?’   
‘It’ll stretch. I told you, I’ve done my research.’  
‘Oh you and your research,’ she mocked him, pulling off her pants and sitting on his lap, ‘did you do any research about being more romantic?’  
‘This isn’t romantic?’ He felt hurt, ‘I surprised you with my presence, we’ve been up on roofs and shared food together. I even made you a cup of tea, I don't do that for just anyone.’  
‘Okay, I take it back.’ Perhaps she had been too hard on him.  
‘It could be worse.’ He studied her face, ‘I don’t suppose Mom ever told you about how Dad seduced her, did she?’  
‘No!’ She could never imagine Leia telling her something as intimate as that, but curiosity got the better of her. ‘How do you know?’  
‘I heard them talking about it once when they thought I was asleep,’ he said, still slightly traumatised from the experience. ‘And Dad kind of told me too, in a roundabout way. I don’t know whether it was a warning or if he thought he was helping me. It wasn’t very clear but then he had been drinking…’  
‘What did he do?’ Either the room was getting warmer, or Rey’s temperature was rising, she couldn’t tell.  
Ben sniggered at the memory. ‘They were on the run from the Empire and Dad’s ship was falling apart as usual. Leia was doing some repairs and he kind of sneaked up on her, and started to try and help her. She wasn’t having any of this and pushed him away, so he tried to make it better and ended up holding her hand. Leia tried to get rid of him, but he kept talking, as you know, in that way of his, trying to turn the situation around to his advantage. And somehow he managed it, as they ended up kissing until Threepio ruined it…’  
‘Wait a minute.’ Rey couldn't get her head around his story. ‘He forced her to kiss him?’  
‘Well, not exactly. He said he only kept pressing her because he knew that she liked him, and in the end he was right. But to have that kind of confidence…’ he trailed off, wondering what it would be like. He’d never had that kind of confidence.  
‘I don’t want you to be a scoundrel,’ said Rey, putting her arms around his neck, ‘I’m glad you didn’t push me like that.’ In fact, he had been the complete opposite, waiting for her to make the first move.  
‘Dad admitted that he probably would have lost Mom too, if it hadn’t been for their capture by Vader…’  
‘They got captured by Vader?’  
‘Yes,’ he kissed her nose. ‘One day I’ll tell you the whole story. It’s quite something what they went through. But for now, let’s get back to where we were.’  
Rey still had lots of questions but she put them to the back of her mind, focusing on Ben’s urgent kisses, the feel of his hands on her burning skin. It was not long before her arousal had reached its peak, and she murmured into his ear, ‘I want you.’  
‘How wet are you?’ Reaching down, he pushed his fingers in-between her legs, alternatively stroking and probing her gently, until she trembled against him.  
‘Enough,’ she gasped as the warmth started to spread across her thighs, making her want him even more.  
Letting her go, he picked up the packet he had got earlier and opened it up, revealing what looked like a thin sheath, all rolled up. ‘Help me.’  
‘What should I do?’ She watched as he placed it on the top of his cock, and, taking her hand, he helped her to push it down until it was fully covered. When it was done, he helped her slide onto him, immediately she was struck by how different it felt. ‘Ben…’  
‘I know,’ he whispered, keeping her close, ‘it’s bound to feel odd at first.’  
Gently, they moved together and Rey soon found that she had forgotten about the new addition, as he slid in and out of her, the sensations it provoked within her no different. ‘I was only teasing you before,’ she said breathlessly, trying to keep her movements steady, building things up slowly, ‘about not being romantic. I think you’re perfect.’  
‘You do?’ He was finding it difficult to concentrate on her words, already his mind was floating free, heading for the realms of pure sensation.  
‘You seem surprised.’  
‘I could always do better.’ He gasped as stronger sensations began to bubble inside him, ‘Are you close?’  
‘I think so,’ it was impossible to tell anymore where her feelings were coming from, they were all around her, flooding the Force between them.  
‘Tell me when.’  
‘I don’t know!’ The boundaries between them were too blurred and she struggled to focus on her feelings. Locked together, it was like they were one being, experiencing the same, feeling the same.  
‘Maybe it won’t matter.’ Ben was struggling to hold on much longer, ‘I’m gonna have to let go.’  
‘Then do it,’ she hardly cared, feeling the need for release as much as he did.  
Suddenly everything turned sideways and she felt herself falling over the edge into oblivion. It was like jumping off a cliff into nothingness, and she closed her eyes, letting herself drift into the warm, encompassing darkness, her body shuddering with the effort of release. She thought she heard someone call her name from far away and she imagined herself standing in a large meadow, the grass long enough to reach up to her waist. She was trailing her hand through flowers, running after someone who was far in the distance, their laughter, and hers, ringing in her ears. With it came the most intense feeling of happiness.  
‘Rey?’  
Opening her eyes, she saw Ben looking at her. She knew it was him that she had been dreaming about.  
‘Are you okay?’ He could see tears sparkling in her eyes.  
She nodded, feeling strange. ‘I had a dream…a vision. We were happy.’  
‘And that made you cry?’  
‘I don’t know why,’ she mused, leaning her head against his shoulder.  
Tenderly, he played with her hair for a long moment, then he said, ‘Do you mind if I just do something?’  
‘No.’  
Slowly, he helped her remove herself from him, pulling off the now very used sheath and tying a knot in the end.  
Rey looked on, fascinated, ‘What’s that stuff in the bottom?’  
‘What this?’ Ben looked at the thick, white blob of matter. ‘That’s what comes out of me and goes into you. Apparently there’s these tiny little creatures in it. They go looking for your eggs and if they’re successful, it turns into a baby.’  
‘Oh.’ She vaguely remembered the old ladies on Jakku talking about eggs and tiny swimming things, ‘They must be tiny.’  
‘They must be,’ he eased himself up and off the couch, ‘It’s weird to think that I’ve got these things living in me.’   
‘It’s the same thing as midichlorians isn’t it?’  
‘Yeah you’re right,’ he grimaced, ‘I guess we’re not really individuals are we? We’re just hosts for other things.’  
‘I guess,’ she had never even thought about herself in that way, and it made her feel a bit strange.  
Going over to the trash, he got rid of the messy sheath and crossed over to the bathroom, telling her, ‘I’ll get you a drink when I’m done in here.’  
‘I’ll do it…’  
‘No, no,’ he insisted from the bathroom door, ‘I’ll do it. You stay there, relax.’  
Rey felt anything but relaxed, her insides were slightly sore, and she still felt on the verge of tears. But she told herself to get a grip and picked up her pyjamas from the floor, pulling them back on. The screen was still on, all but forgotten, and she settled back down on the couch to watch a programme about the culture and art of the Old Republic. By the time Ben re-appeared, wearing his pants, she was desperate for a pee and when she came back, he was bringing two drinks over to the table.  
‘Here you go.’ He sat down next to her. ‘What do you usually do for breakfast?’  
‘Go to a cafe, with Finn and Rose.’  
‘Ah.’  
‘I can leave them a message not to bother.’  
‘You can go if you want, I’d just rather not…’  
‘It’s okay, I want to be with you. Unless you have to leave early?’  
‘Not until the afternoon.’  
The drink was hot and she left it to cool down. She lay with her feet up on the sofa, her back against Ben’s side, trying to pay attention to the programme whilst he caressed her body underneath her top. But soon her eyes started to close against her will and she found it more and more difficult to concentrate.  
‘We better get to you to bed,’ said Ben, who was ready for a good sleep himself.  
Rey forced her eyes back open, ‘I’m fine.’  
‘Why do you always fight sleep?’ he scolded her, ‘We can do more tomorrow.’  
‘I want to do more now,’ she pouted, draping herself across his lap.   
‘Bed!’ he admonished her.  
In the end, she allowed him to carry her to the bedroom, knowing that she was not going to win the argument. Ben was interested to see that she only had minimal furnishings; a bed, a wardrobe and an intricately carved wooden chest that Rey had been gifted by one of her neighbours. There was one picture on the wall of bright, abstract flowers which Rey explained had been there when she moved in. It was bland, but restful, was his conclusion, although he was intrigued by the wooden chest, that seemed out of place in the otherwise austere surroundings. He felt sad that whilst she had been living there a while, she had not really put her stamp onto the place. It could have belonged to anyone.  
It was not long until they were tucked up in bed, Rey half lying on Ben whilst he stroked her back, trying to help her to get to sleep. But despite her tiredness, it took a long time for her to relax sufficiently to allow sleep to overcome her, her head still churning with ideas about the future. But at least when she did sleep, she slept better for Ben being there.


	11. A terrible proposal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In her first proper day with Ben, Rey finds that she can't get enough of him. They end up having sex in the shower, against the window, and on the floor, but Ben is surprised when he finds out that Rey has been discussing their love life with her friends. They decide to go out to have something to eat and end up at Rey's favourite cafes in the trendier parts of Coruscant. Here, Ben surprises Rey with a proposal that becomes much more public than he thought it would.

She had been dreaming about the island of Ahch-To when she woke up; she could tell it was still early because the noise from the skyways was subdued. Rubbing her eyes, she was relieved to see that Ben was still there. He had his back to her and was breathing softly, clutching a pillow tightly against his cheek. She wondered what he was dreaming about. Gently, she reached out to touch the soft skin of his back. There were several scars that she had never noticed before, including a long one that snaked down from one shoulder blade almost to his waist, suggesting a significant injury. They were reminders of violence and it made her feel sad. Leaning over, she kissed his shoulder gently, and he stirred in response.   
‘It’s still early, isn’t it?’  
Rey felt bad, she hadn’t meant to awake him. ‘Yes.’  
He turned over to look at her, ‘Why are you awake?’  
‘I don’t know.’ She sighed happily as he moved closer, putting his arms around her. Nestling against him, she said sleepily, ’I love waking up with you.’  
‘Me too. We should definitely do this more.’  
They slept for another hour or so before Ben woke up, needing to relieve himself. When it was her turn to get up, Rey found him in the living room, making some drinks. It warmed her heart to think that this might be her reality one day, waking up to see him everyday. Taking her drink from him, she went over to the large windows and looked out to see what kind of a day it was. It was misty, the fog obscuring the surrounding buildings, making them appear to be ghosts looming out of a murky twilight. Already the skyways were busy, the endless stream of speeders winding their way around the city, taking citizens on their way to work. She heard Ben come up behind her, felt the warmth of his body as he leaned against her, one arm snaking around her waist to hold her.  
‘Is it always like this?’  
‘More or less,’ she took a sip of her tea. ‘It’s not normally so foggy though.’ Today was a particularly bad case of atmospheric pollution.  
‘Is that caused by all the traffic?’  
‘Yes, and industry. Poe’s trying to clean it up but he’s not getting very far.’  
‘I guess it takes so long to get anything through the Senate. That was something Mom was always complaining about.’  
It was the drawback of being in a democracy, with many different voices to take heed of. ‘Did you like having that power?’ she asked him hesitantly, not sure how he would react to questions about his time as Supreme Leader. ‘To decide things?’  
‘Sometimes,’ he admitted, rubbing his itchy nose against her hair. ‘If I knew what I was doing, yes, it was very easy to say what needed to be done, to have everyone snap to attention and agree to do it. But then at other times, the responsibility was too much. The idea that everything was down to me. No one should ever have that amount of power. Especially not when you have the ability to shut other people up or sway their minds in a particular direction.’  
‘What? You mean… Force users shouldn’t be leaders?’  
‘Not Supreme Leaders, no,’ he made clear. ‘But leaders within a system that doesn’t give unlimited power, yes. Leia was Force sensitive and she made a great leader, because she believed in the greater good. But you only need someone like Palpatine, who didn’t, and the whole system falls apart.’  
‘How did Palpatine come to power?’  
‘Very slowly, building up his influence over a long period of time. Manipulation, of key people, and a great deal of resources, wherever those came from. How he blindsided a whole Temple full of Jedi Masters to his existence is a pretty amazing feat.’  
‘You sound like you admire him,’ she said grumpily, putting her cup down.  
‘No, not admire him,’ he was careful to say, ‘but he knew what he was doing. He studied the weakness of the Republic, as well as the Jedi Order, and exacerbated them for his own ends. He was also very good at getting others to do things for him.’  
‘Like Anakin?’  
‘Yes, like Anakin.’  
Rey shivered, thinking it was just like Snoke. ‘I hope there’s no more Sith, hiding out there somewhere.’  
‘There’ll always be the darkness,’ he reminded her softly, ‘but as Poe said yesterday, it’s how we deal with it that’s important. To try and understand why it’s there, and try to heal it. Not fear it.’  
‘I thought you said you missed the ceremony?’ She looked up at him, confused.  
‘They had the HoloNet on in the ship when I was coming over here,’ he grinned, ‘so I got to see you lay that floral thing.’  
Rey blushed, ‘Did I look awful?’  
‘You never look awful, but you did look a bit awkward,’ he told her truthfully.  
‘I knew I should have practised walking in that dress a bit more.’   
The mention of the dress made Ben feel funny and he looked out the window, trying to ignore his obvious arousal at the thought of her swathed in thin, gauzy fabrics.  
Rey felt it too, ‘What is it about that dress?’  
‘I don’t know,’ he murmured in her ear, nuzzling at her neck, ‘just the thought of it…’ He trailed off as Rey took his hand and pushed it down into her pants, wanting him to touch her, his excitement feeding her own. Gently, his fingers found the soft, fleshy mound that was key to her pleasure, and she moaned as he started to caress it, pressing his erection against her.  
Overcome, Rey pushed back against him, wanting him inside her. He must have heard her thoughts for, in the next moment, he was pushing her pants down, then his own, not caring that they were stood right in the open window, for all of Coruscant to see. Although part of her was concerned, most of her ignored it, concentrating instead on the wondrous feelings that came in response to his closeness.  
‘Lean forward a bit,’ he murmured into her ear, gently guiding her legs further apart with his other hand.  
There was nowhere much to go, so she leant on the window, the frigid pane of glass a stark contrast to the immense heat spreading through her loins and across her body. The next moment she felt him enter her, giving her a rush of sensations that made her gasp. He pushed into her more forcefully than usual and she shuddered, her forehead banging against the window. But she immediately forgot it, so intent she was on experiencing the pleasure that came from them being together. She pushed back against him, matching his rhythm as the tension started to build, the mingling of both their experiences blurring the edges of what sensations belonged to who. But she could feel something different in Ben, he was focused, yes, but in a more primal way, his movements uncharacteristically instinctive and raw. But there was no time to ponder it as her emotions finally peaked, her excitement in the release of tension spilling forth from inside her to escape as a breathless cry, pressing herself against the glass of the window as she felt Ben reach the same moment behind her. He stopped thrusting and held on to her tightly, trembling with passion, pressing his mouth into her neck so hard that she thought he was going to bite her. They remained like that for a while, holding onto each other, breathing fast and shallow, until they started to come down from the immense high of their own making.  
‘Wow,’ said Ben eventually, extracting himself from her neck, and, after removing the used sheath, he reached down to pull his pants back up. ‘That was… different.’  
‘Different… good?’ He didn’t sound very happy and she pulled her pyjama bottoms back up as he went over to the trash.  
‘I don’t know.’ He stood by the sideboard, trying to gather together his scattered thoughts. ‘I don’t like what happened to me then. I lost control a bit.’ He looked at her, his eyes wide, ‘I was so focused on… on making things happen that I didn’t think about you. About what you needed. I was only thinking about my own needs.’  
‘Oh.’ That was how Rey felt most of the time during their love-making and she began to wonder if she was the one doing it wrong. ‘Isn’t that normal?’  
‘I guess,’ he shrugged, ‘it felt like my primitive brain took over.’ He gave her a half-hearted smile, ‘It knew what it wanted though.’  
Picking up her tea, Rey went to sit down, a sinking feeling in her stomach. It wasn’t that she didn’t think about Ben, of course she did, but the way he described something inside taking him over, something primeval, something innate, was exactly how she felt every single time.   
Seeing her expression, he came over and sat down next to her. ‘Okay, sweetheart?’  
Vaguely she nodded. ‘What you just said is how I feel all the time.’  
‘It’s not wrong,’ he said quickly, seeing she had taken it to heart. ‘It’s just different to how I normally feel. And it threw me.’ He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her in close. ‘It reminds me too much of what it was like to… to be in the darkness. That inward focus, pushing everything else out. That’s why I didn’t like it.’  
It was understandable but didn’t help Rey’s growing concerns, ‘Does that mean…?’  
‘No,’ he said quickly, ‘I don’t think it means you’re heading over to the dark side every time we make love. But, and I hate to bang on about this, I can kind of see why the Jedi banned it.’  
‘Maybe we should stop then?’  
He frowned, ‘You’re joking?’  
‘Yes,’ she admitted, ‘I guess I’m just gonna have to admit that I’m a bad Jedi.’  
‘Not bad, just… spontaneous.’  
She supposed it made a change from impulsive. ’What d’you think I should do?’  
‘Seriously? Nothing,’ he reassured her, his fingers tangled up in her hair. ‘It’s who you are. Perhaps it’s something to do with being a feral scavenger at heart?’  
‘Feral?’ She wasn’t sure whether to be flattered or annoyed. ‘Is that how you see me?’  
‘Of course,’ he teased her, ‘I’m the civilised one, and you’re the feral one.’  
‘How are you civilised?’ She thought about how messy he was, how wasteful, in comparison with her determination to use resources sparingly and keep everything she had neat and tidy.  
‘It’s obvious,’ he shrugged, picking away at a knot in her hair, ‘my mother was a princess…’  
‘And your father was a scoundrel,’ she interjected.  
‘Okay, I’m only half civilised then,’ he admitted, with a smile. ‘Dad always did tell me to shoot first, ask questions later. A bit like you,’ he added fondly.  
Rey smiled, shaking her head. She couldn’t help thinking that Han must have made for an interesting father. A Rebellion hero with a criminal background. ‘No wonder you’re so confused.’  
‘Tell me about it!’ Finally, he could tell that she was starting to understand all the conflicting ideas and philosophies that made up the inside of his head. ‘Imagine the Jedi teachings plonked on top of that.’  
The idea that he had a naughtier side, buried underneath his outward seriousness and reserve, turned her on. She had seen flashes of it before, but she wondered if she might uncover more with the right stimulation. Swinging her leg over his lap so that she was straddling him, she leaned close into his face, her hands on his shoulders, pushing him down into the couch, ‘Admit it, you like me being feral.’ Before Ben could argue, or even agree, she started to kiss him hungrily, almost as if she wanted to devour him, not caring how rough she was with him.  
‘Mm-hmm,’ was all he could say, her tongue was exploring his mouth, and he was soon getting turned on by the intensity of her desire which, like many times before, seemed to suddenly ramp up from nothing to one hundred, like a supercharged engine.  
Breaking away from his mouth, Rey started to kiss his neck, realising that she had not really taken time to explore his body, as he had explored hers. ‘It means I can do anything I want,’ she said, in-between kisses.  
‘Anything,’ he murmured, wondering where she was going with this. Already his nerves were tingling with anticipation; usually he hated anything that involved surprises, but there was something about Rey’s tone that made him think he would enjoy letting go of the anxieties that constrained him.  
‘Then lie down,’ she commanded him breathily. In a strange way, she was reminded of the first time she had tasted all the different foods at Maz’s Castle. It had been the first time she had ever eaten anything except for the disgusting portions that had been her pathetic reward for all the hard work of scavenging. Then she had indulged herself, cramming as much into her mouth as possible, wanting to savour every single bite. She approached Ben’s body in the same way, as if she had never tasted it properly before. Playfully she started with his ear, gently licking and sucking on the lobe, before making her way slowly down his neck in the same way, experimenting with her teeth as well as her tongue. She didn’t make Ben lie still as he had done with her, but she could tell that he didn’t really know what to do with himself. He was mostly quiet, letting her know if he liked what she was doing, but not complaining if he didn’t. As he admitted to her, he had never let anyone else touch his body, let alone have such free reign over it, and she wondered if it was, for him, a kind of release. Letting her have control in a way he had never allowed anyone else to have. Things really started to kick into gear when she reached his penis; she had left a trail of wet kisses, nips and bites all down his torso, which had various affects on his response to her, but she could feel that his nerves were sky-high as she took him in her mouth, considering it was something she had never done before.   
‘Where did you learn to do this?’ he whispered frantically as he started to zone out with the feel of her mouth around him, her tongue gently sliding up and down with the movement of her head.  
Finn told me. There really were unrealised benefits of being able to communicate without speaking.  
‘Finn?’ It half appalled him, half aroused him to think that she had been talking about their love-making with her friends.  
Yeah, he said it was something that all men like. In her mouth, his cock was smooth, tasting slightly sour and salty, it was weird but not uncomfortable, although she quickly established that she couldn’t take the whole of him in her mouth without wanting to gag. Instead, she used her hand to stimulate the end of the shaft, using whatever she had at her disposal to bring him pleasure. You like it, don’t you?  
‘Yes,’ was all he managed to say. Her other hand he had already pressed against the baggy sac that hung below, groaning with pleasure as her efforts started to pay off. The pressure got harder the more she moved up and down, and she increased the tightness of her mouth around him in response.  
‘Oh Rey… my angel,’ said Ben with difficulty, trying not to come in her mouth, not wanting to waste it, wanting to be inside her. ‘Stop… please stop!’  
‘What?’ Rey wasn’t sure she’d heard him correctly and she paused, lifting her head.   
Seeing his chance, and before she could object, Ben rolled off the couch and onto the floor, pulling her with him.  
‘Ow!’ Hitting the floor hard, Rey was furious with him for stopping her, and she stared at him in amazement before deciding that it was exactly what she wanted. Now he was being as rough with her as she was with him, and the idea excited her. Pushing him off her, she sat astride him, grabbing his arms and pushing them down to the floor. ‘What do you want?’ she said, her face inches away from him. She could see how aroused he was, could feel it.  
‘I want you,’ he said urgently, annoyed that she had got the upper hand again, but also excited.  
She pretended to consider it. ‘How much?’  
‘What?’ He couldn’t believe she wanted to have a conversation about it, his mind was too scrambled by the promise of release to frame a response. Seeing his chance, he reached up to kiss her, taking her by surprise. Deftly, he pushed her hands away, rolling over so that she was beneath him, a change that he could tell she did not appreciate because immediately she pulled away from his mouth.  
‘Did I say you could do this?’ she challenged him.  
‘No,’ he grinned, ‘but I need to do something about this.’ Carelessly, he grabbed her pyjamas, pulling the top over her head, revealing her breasts. She only looked slightly annoyed, so he leant down and took one of her nipples in his mouth whilst he pulled away her pyjama bottoms with his hands, alternatively sucking it and licking it until he could feel her writhing beneath him. He managed to get her pants off before he moved onto her other breast, at the same time pushing his fingers into the warm moistness in-between her legs. ‘Dammit, you’re wet.’  
‘What d’you expect?’ she murmured, gasping as he massaged her deftly, her hands in his hair. ‘Ben…’  
‘Let’s make you wetter,’ he said, working his way down towards her clitoris, enjoying the tension he could sense was building inside her before he even got to it, hearing her sigh as he parted her legs with his hand and started to lick her slowly, using his other hand to slide his fingers into her vagina, mimicking what he ultimately wanted to do with his cock.  
Rey was confused, wondering how she had lost her momentum, but she wasn’t complaining as the tingling sensations started to build inside her, and she couldn’t help moaning softly, the feelings rising and rising until she felt them reach their peak. Digging her fingers into the carpet, she let it overwhelm her, closing her eyes, unaware of what her body was doing or what she was saying, until the intensity started to die down and she could feel Ben lessen off, although he kept his fingers where they were. Slowly he worked his way back up towards her with tender kisses, covering her shaking body with his. By the time he had reached her neck, she was in a state of high excitement, her breathing was fast and shallow, almost panting, still unable to relax because of his fingers inside her. ‘Rey?’  
‘Yes?’ She pressed herself against him, her mouth against his neck, feeling the need to bite something, anything, to relieve the pressure she felt.  
He hardly flinched, pushing his fingers deeper into her as her teeth broke through his skin. ‘How do you want to do this?’  
For an answer, she tried to push him off of her, but he shook his head. ‘Let me take you from behind.’  
Nodding, she wasn’t sure what to do, so he encouraged her to get on all fours whilst he fondled her bottom, round and curvaceous. Then he pushed inside her, after making sure they were both safe, unable to stop himself from moaning with the pleasure it gave him, the tightness of her vagina enveloping his cock, almost taking him over the edge straight away. But he managed to stop himself.  
For Rey, it felt like he was going deeper inside her, and she gasped with the feeling, pushing back against him. Like before, he was able to stimulate her clitoris at the same time as he fucked her, and she was soon getting lost again in her own head, the most amazing feelings building up inside her. But it was too impersonal, she hated not seeing his face. ‘Ben!’  
‘What?’  
‘I need to see you!’ It was hard to get the words out, already she was close.  
‘Okay.’ With difficulty, he manoeuvred them both until, somehow, she was atop him, ‘Now can we finish?’ He felt he might explode with the tension.  
It did not take much in the end, Rey perhaps rode him once or twice before she was pushed over the edge, keeping her eyes on him the whole time, followed closely by Ben. Afterwards, out of breath and exhausted, he lay on the carpet, staring up at the ceiling as Rey lay collapsed on top of him, all her energy spent from the addictive rush of emotions that had claimed them both.  
‘I’m hungry,’ she managed eventually, lacking even the ability to get up and go to the bathroom.   
‘We should really go and find some breakfast,’ he agreed, thinking that if they remained in her apartment until he had to leave, it would be the end of him.  
‘Good idea.’ But she made no effort to move, instead nuzzling into his neck, gently licking the sore spot where she had bitten him.  
‘Mmm,’ he sighed, flinching slightly at the pain mingled with the relief of her touch, ‘you weren’t lying when you said you were feral.’  
‘You gave me a close run.’ Kissing him one last time, she reluctantly got up. ‘Come and shower with me.’  
Ben eased his aching limbs into a sitting position, ‘Surely you don’t need to save water here?’  
‘No,’ she replied, giving him a hand to get up, ‘I want to wash you.’  
Thinking it might be fun, he obediently followed her into the bathroom, the smallest room in the apartment. There was a ‘fresher in its own compartment, a sink and a toilet, with just enough room for two people to stand in there, although they would inevitably get in each others’ way. Opening the door to the ‘fresher, Rey turned the water on, waiting a few seconds for it to warm up. Then she crouched down and opened a small cupboard next to the sink to pull out two fluffy towels.  
‘It should be warm enough now.’  
Stepping inside the ‘fresher, Ben felt the warm water cascading over his skin, soothing away his aches and pains, drenching his hair. Rey followed him in, and closed the door. There wasn’t much room and they were pressed up against each other, which turned out to be more stimulating than Rey had expected. Taking down a sponge that was hanging on the tiled wall, she got it wet and, squeezing some fragrant soap onto it, she turned back to Ben. ‘Where should I start?’  
‘Wherever you like.’ He couldn’t remember the last time someone had washed him.  
Gently, she pressed the sponge onto his chest, working the soap into a lather so that she could spread it across the rest of him. She was slow at first, but she soon got into her flow, telling him what to do so that she could wash the whole of him. She even washed his hair, having to stretch up high to reach the thick, dark locks, but she managed it. Then it was her turn. Ben threw away the sponge, preferring the sensation of rubbing the soap onto her body with his hands, making sure that he washed every inch of her. Rey liked it most when he washed her hair, she loved the feel of his hands on her scalp, massaging in the shampoo before using his fingers to rake out the tangles and the knots. It turned her on so much that soon she was kissing him with abandon under the falling water, murmuring to him seductively in-between kisses, ‘I want you. Inside me. Now.’  
‘I want you too,’ he whispered back, ‘but I don’t have a, um, thing.’  
‘Oh.’ She couldn’t hide her disappointment.  
‘It’s okay, I’ll try and remember to pull out just before we…’  
‘You can do that?’  
‘Yeah, it’s how everyone did it before they invented those things…’ he trailed off, she had her hand on his cock and he couldn’t think straight. Tenderly, he caressed her buttocks, pulling her closer so that he could enter her, at the same time kissing her needily. They were both so wound up that it didn’t take long for the explosion, Ben pulling out of Rey just in time to send bursts of white come all down her leg.  
‘Thanks,’ she commented, watching as the water washed it away down the drainage hole, whilst Ben leaned heavily against her, panting with the effort.  
‘I’m not doing that again,’ he said as she turned the water off and pushed him towards the door. ‘That requires an amount of thought I’m not capable of.’  
Stepping out onto the mat, he grabbed both towels and handed one to her, before wrapping himself up in the other one. Being together like this, undertaking mundane domestic tasks, reminded him of their time together on Exegol, only now as lovers, rather than friends on a mission. It made him feel stupidly happy that it wouldn’t be long until it became their reality.  
‘What are you thinking about?’ she asked him, seeing a faraway look in his eyes.  
‘That it won’t be long until we can be together like this all the time.’  
Rubbing herself dry, Rey smiled back, pleased that he saw a place for her in his future. Now all she had to do was work out what she wanted to do with hers.  
After getting dressed, Rey checked the time and saw that it was still relatively early. Most of the cafes would just be opening. Her stomach was aching with hunger and she searched through the cupboards until she found the packet of biscuits that Ben had unearthed the previous evening. ‘Want one?’  
‘No, I’ll wait.’ Picking up his jacket, Ben made sure that he hadn’t left anything behind. ‘Where are we going?’  
‘There’s a nice cafe a few blocks away from here,’ she said, ‘it’s got a garden.’ Cramming the rest of the biscuit into her mouth, Rey grabbed her boots to put them on. The dress was still lying on the floor where Ben had dumped it, and she felt pleased to be back in her usual attire of tunic and pants. After fetching her jacket, she was ready to go.  
They left the apartment, Rey leaving a message for Finn and Rose embedded in the device that worked the door. When Ben queried how it worked, Rey showed him how Finn could retrieve the message by entering a specific code that only he and Rose knew.  
‘That’s useful.’  
They walked hand in hand towards the elevators, Rey trying to keep her focus on the moment and not let her mind wander away like it was trying to do. There were many things competing for her attention; her body was telling her it was sore from their exploits, her mind was trying to be a killjoy by reminding her that being with Ben was only going to be a temporary thing, and the Force was throwing glimpses of other peoples’ feelings and emotions at her to see if she could cope with them. on top of everything else. When they reached the elevators she jabbed at the button in frustration, ‘Come on.’  
‘What’s the rush?’ frowned Ben, seeing her agitation. He put his hands on her shoulders, massaging them gently, trying to ease her tension.  
She sighed, willing herself to calm down. ‘There isn’t one. I just…’  
The elevator pinged as it reached their floor and the door slid open. Keeping hold of Rey, Ben moved aside to allow an older couple who had been inside to come out. They were both smartly dressed, much more in keeping with the type of person that might be assumed to live in the building. Rey looked away in case they recognised her but immediately the couple saw her, much to the girl’s chagrin.  
‘Hello, dear,’ said the woman in an over-familiar way, ‘not seen you in a while. Have you been busy?’  
‘Yes, at Temple,’ said Rey, feeling awkward. Ben’s hands were still on her shoulders and she wished he would let her go. For it was her neighbours, the ones who worked in the Senate. ‘How have you been?’  
‘Very well,’ said the woman, looking with interest at Ben. ‘Is this your friend, dear? Sorry, I don’t think we’ve met before?’  
‘I don’t think we have, no. Hello,’ said Ben politely, holding out his hand to her. ‘I’m just visiting. From another planet,’ he added, to be clear.  
‘Are you here for long?’ Rey’s neighbour grasped his hand firmly, as if she was trying to get the measure of him through osmosis. ‘It’s nice for Rey have some… company.’  
‘No, no, I’m here just for the day,’ he replied, thinking her comment was slightly barbed. He glanced at Rey in concern.  
‘We’re just going out,’ said Rey hurriedly, dying inside. They hadn’t been very careful and clearly her neighbours had been up early. Her nosiest neighbours who knew Poe. Grabbing Ben’s arm, she practically pulled him into the elevator, ‘We’d better be on our way!’  
‘We’ll have to catch up later,’ said the woman, waving goodbye, her husband standing silently beside her, taking everything in.  
‘Bye.’ Rey breathed out through her nose as the elevator doors closed, trying to remain calm. Quickly, she pressed the button for the ground floor in case her neighbours had a change of heart and tried to follow them back in, keeping her finger on it until the elevator was progressing steadily downwards.  
‘I’m sure they didn’t see anything,’ said Ben, feeling her agitation.  
‘We weren’t very careful.’ Rey was on the verge of tears. ‘And if they find out you’re here…’  
‘Who?’  
‘The Senate…’  
‘Don’t worry, I’ll be gone by then.’ He touched her chin with his finger, ‘Besides, what will your neighbour say? Oh, a man was visiting Rey. They might have had sex. What of it?’  
‘You don’t know her,’ said Rey, getting cross with him for not taking it seriously, ‘I don’t want her to know anything about me. She’s so nosy. She’ll never let this go.’  
‘Come on, sweetheart,’ he said, trying to cheer her up, ‘you’ll spoil your breakfast.’  
‘It’s already spoiled,’ she said grumpily, knowing it was not the only reason for her poor mood.   
‘Why?’  
‘You’re going to leave me.’   
‘Is that what this is all about?’ The doors to the elevator opened and he followed her out. ‘You’re cross with me?’  
‘No.’  
She made to walk off, and he grabbed her hand, keeping her with him. ‘Then what?’  
‘I’m annoyed with myself,’ she blurted out as they walked across the tiled lobby, unsure whether she wanted to laugh or cry at that point. ’And it doesn’t help that everything hurts so much.’  
‘That’s what comes from having too much sex,’ he laughed, thinking that they had rather overdone things. Like her, his body ached all over, in places he had never felt aches in before.  
‘I like having sex with you,’ she pouted, but perhaps he had a point.  
‘Yeah, I’m not complaining,’ he assured her, ‘but we need to slow down a bit.’ They had made love three times already that morning, and that wasn’t even counting the night before. It seemed preposterous and he had to keep reminding himself that it was real, it had happened.  
‘Morning, Rey!’ It was the building’s droid attendant, sat at their desk at the side of the lobby.   
‘Morning,’ Rey waved at them distractedly, wishing that she wasn’t quite so well known.  
‘How long has it been since you did any meditation?’ Ben asked as the doors opened up automatically and they went out onto the street.  
She thought back. ‘A few weeks.’  
‘There you go.’ He squeezed her fingers tightly, ‘It’s good to feel strongly, but you’ll soon wear out if you don’t try and temper it with moments of calm. Believe me, I know that.’  
Leaving the apartment building behind, they strolled along the street, already crowded with citizens representing the diverse population of the planet city, coming from all corners of the galaxy. Despite their rarefied status as Jedi, Ben and Rey looked relatively nondescript in amongst the flamboyance on display and hardly anyone gave them a second glance. Shops and eating places were starting to open, and already people were sitting out in front, drinking caf and eating pastries. Rey tried not too look, her stomach was already going into meltdown from hunger and she wondered if her low mood was connected to her lack of proper food.  
‘I wouldn’t be surprised,’ said Ben carelessly, ‘you’re always grumpy when you’re hungry.’  
‘No I’m not,’ she countered but he only laughed at her.  
‘I’m the one who has to put up with you!’  
Coming to a junction, Rey led Ben down the left-hand street, heading into the area of the city that was well-known for its quirky shops and cafes, popular with the young citizens who lived in the nearby apartment blocks. The building facades were painted in bright colours, and the flags from yesterday’s ceremony were still hanging from the windows and lamp-posts, giving the streets a carnival feel that was not always matched by the demeanour of the pedestrians around them. Most citizens were on their way to work and they looked distinctly fed up about it, although there were a few groups of friends laughing and joking as they walked along.  
‘This is nice,’ commented Ben, preferring the quieter areas of the city to the main thoroughfares around the plaza. He had not forgotten that he was meant to be lying low.  
‘Yeah, this is my favourite part of the city,’ agreed Rey, ‘the cafe’s not far from here.’  
‘Okay.’ Ben wasn’t that bothered about eating anymore, he was enjoying walking around with Rey, taking in the sights. But he had a burning question to ask her that had been preying on his mind ever since that morning. ‘So, do you er… always discuss our, um, love life with your friends?’  
Rey knew immediately what he was referring to. ‘Not all the time.’  
‘Just some of the time then,’ he grumbled, thinking that she could at least have the decency to look embarrassed.  
‘Look, it was an accident, okay,’ said Rey in her defence. ‘I didn’t mean to. It kind of… slipped out.’  
For someone who was always very careful about what he said, and how he said it, the idea baffled him. ‘How does something like that just slip out?’  
‘Um,’ Rey thought back to when she had last been alone with Finn. ‘Finn was talking about er being with Poe, and I was just curious because… you know, after what we’ve been doing, I just wondered how he and Poe did things with… their…um… bodies.’  
‘You just wondered?’ He couldn’t believe what he hearing.  
‘Yes, and Finn was, um, interested in what we did… so we kind of shared notes.’ Rey felt her cheeks flush red, realising that it hadn’t been quite so accidental as she had claimed.  
By now, Ben was trying very hard not to laugh. ‘And Finn decided to give you some tips along the way?’  
‘Kind of, yes,’ said Rey, unable to look at him. ‘He’s a man and I thought… I thought he’d know what men like… so…’  
‘You’re so thoughtful,’ said Ben, putting his arm around her and pressing his lips to her hair. ‘Maybe next time I see Rose, I’ll ask her what women like.’  
‘Ben!’ Rey looked up at him, seeing immediately that he was teasing her. She decided to come clean. ‘Okay, okay. It wasn’t an accident. I got talking to Finn and he thought…’  
‘No more!’ laughed Ben, guessing what had happened. ‘It’s fine, it’s good you can talk about these things with your friends, I guess.’  
‘That’s exactly what my therapist said,’ she replied, laughing inwardly to herself. ‘Seriously, Ben, if you want to talk to someone, talk to Finn or Poe. They won’t mind.’  
‘I’ll bear it in mind.’ The thought wasn't as abhorrent to him as he thought it might be, and he filed it away in the back of his mind for another time.  
Finally they came to their destination. Rey’s favourite cafe was set back from the pavement, a small area in front set out with chairs and tables, surrounded by plants in variously coloured pots. A brightly striped awning hung over the window, which was filled with knick-knacks from bygone ages. Pushing open the door, Rey went in, to be greeted by the man behind the serving counter. ‘Morning, Rey. Usual spot is it?’  
‘Yes please, Merko, out in the garden.’  
‘Is that for three of you?’  
‘Er no, just two of us today.’  
Merko looked surprised but when he saw Ben behind her, he seemed to understand. Grabbing two menus, he led them outside into the garden, which, as ever, was crammed full of potted plants and creeping vines that hung over painted wooden trellises. Dotted in amongst the greenery were tables and benches, and Merko took them to a table that was towards the edge of the garden, surrounded by beautiful pink flowers that emitted a delightful and heady fragrance as Ben and Rey drew near. It was more secluded than the others, perfect for private conversations. ‘Here you go.’  
As Ben sat down, he thought the flowers looked familiar. ‘You have the same ones on your balcony,’ he said to Rey.  
‘Yes,’ said Rey, taking the menu from Merko and briefly glancing down at it. ‘This whole garden inspired me.’   
‘A lot of people say that,’ smiled Merko, waiting politely for them to decide what they wanted to eat. ‘Did you tell Poe about our idea to make the city more green?’  
‘No, I haven’t had a chance, he’s been so busy.’  
‘I’m not surprised with everything that’s been going on. I’m sure you’ll get a chance when all the fuss dies down.’ He looked at them both expectantly, ‘Do you know what you want?’  
‘I’ll have some pancakes,’ said Ben, who had not bothered to read the menu, more impressed by Rey’s interest in making Coruscant a greener place. ‘With as much syrup as you can put onto them without drowning them. And a large cup of tea.’  
‘Of course,’ Merko punched the details into his device, ‘And what about you, Rey?’  
‘I’ll have the same,’ she said, handing back the menu.  
As Merko went back inside to fulfil their order, Ben remarked that, ‘Maybe we should have gone somewhere you’re less well known.’  
‘I didn’t think,’ she said, understanding his concern. ‘But Merko won’t say anything.’  
‘He won’t?’ Ben felt a little better.  
‘No, he’s not really one for gossip.’  
‘Good.’ If there was one thing that Ben couldn’t stand, which admittedly was a lot of things, it was gossip. He did not see the point of it at all, especially if it was mean-spirited. He fiddled about with two small pots on the table, then he said, ‘Rey, you know I love you, don’t you?’  
‘Yes. Why?’ It seemed on odd question, but there was no hint of concern or trouble in Ben’s eyes. Quite the opposite.  
‘I don’t think I tell you enough.’  
‘You don’t have to tell me,’ she said tenderly, wondering if there would ever be a time when neither one of them was having some kind of crisis. ‘I can feel it.’  
‘Yes, I suppose you can.’  
He seemed lost in his own thoughts, and Rey wondered what he was thinking about. Her own thoughts were too loud to allow her any insight into Ben’s state of mind, and she tried harder to tune into it.  
‘Here’s your drinks,’ Merko re-appeared and put two large cups of tea onto the table. ‘Pancakes will be along in a moment.’  
‘Thanks,’ Rey smiled up at him, then turned back to Ben as soon as Merko had gone away again. Drinking her tea helped to calm down the messiness of her thoughts, and she began to pick up more from the Force around her. Especially from Ben. There was so much tension around him that the air was sparking and fizzing like a broken electrical circuit. Taking another long drink of tea, she was about to ask him what was up when Ben reached over and took her hand, his dark eyes solemn.  
‘Rey, I want to ask you something.’  
‘What?’ He was so serious that she began to wonder if something was wrong.  
‘Remember I said there were some things that I needed to do before… before we could be together?’  
‘Yes.’ She could barely speak, or breathe, wondering what he was going to say.  
‘Well, I think I’ve worked out now who I am and what I’m meant to be doing. I know I’ll never really atone for what I’ve done in the past, but I think I’m in a better place now for us to be together. Properly together.’  
‘You are?’ That’s why he had been asking her what she wanted to do with her future, it was starting to make sense.  
‘Although it won’t be straight away. I’ve still got to finish one last thing, which will take a few months yet if I’m honest… maybe a bit longer. But I was wondering if once you’d worked out what you wanted to do, you would…’  
‘Here you go,’ Merko was coming over with two plates of steaming hot pancakes, cutting him off mid-flow. Dropping her hand so that Merko could put the plates down, Ben sat back, his attention diverted. The pancakes were absolutely smothered in syrup, although in a small concession to healthiness, there was some fruit on the side. ‘Enjoy!’  
‘We will, thank you.’ Rey looked hungrily at the pancakes but she was also eager to find out what Ben had wanted to ask her. Picking up her fork, she asked, ‘You were saying?’  
‘It’s okay, it can wait,’ said Ben, picking up his own fork and setting about his pancakes. He hadn’t realised how hungry he was until the plates had arrived.  
‘Oh but I thought…?’ Perhaps she had misjudged his mood, it seemed like he wanted to say something important.  
’You need to eat,’ Ben glanced over at her, trying to gauge her mood, but his attention was elsewhere and soon he was back to eating.  
He seemed so dismissive after his earlier intensity, that Rey’s face crumpled and she started to cry, feeling utterly confused by his behaviour. ‘I can’t,’ she whispered, letting the tears slide down her face.  
Immediately, Ben put down his fork and came over to her, crouching down next to the side of her chair. ‘Don’t cry,’ he said, distressed by her reaction, ‘I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have ignored you.’  
‘It’s okay,’ said Rey, wiping her eyes. She felt silly now, realising that she was getting all emotional about a perceived slight that hadn’t really happened.  
‘No it’s not, you’re upset…’  
‘I overreacted.’  
‘No you didn’t.’ Ben was determined to carry on this time and, reaching over, he took her hand. Looking up at her, he said haltingly, ’What I wanted to say is that… is that I want to spend the rest of my life with you… and I hoped that you wanted to do that too. Spend it with me, I mean. And if you did want to, it would make me very happy if you…if you… Oh Rey, I don’t know if you would even consider it, but would you marry me?’  
‘What?’ Rey could hardly believe her ears, and she clung to his hand, confused and elated all at once. ‘You’re… you’re asking me to marry you?’  
‘I am. Yes.’ He felt so nervous that he had to hold onto the edge of the table to steady himself. He swallowed and looked up at her, his heart hammering in his chest. ‘What do you think?’  
For a long time, Rey could not speak. She had expected him to say that he wanted them to live together, not get married. Everything around her faded out, and her heart was so loud in her ears that she thought she might be sick.  
‘It’s okay,’ said Ben, understanding, ‘you don’t have to give me an answer now.’  
‘I do,’ she managed to say eventually.  
‘You do what?’ It was Ben’s turn to be confused. ‘You do want to give me an answer now or you do want to marry me?’  
‘Both.’ She could barely see him through her tears of happiness.  
‘Really?’ To say Ben was stunned was an understatement.  
‘Yes, I do want to marry you.’ Ecstatic, she leaned forward and pressed her mouth to his, realising that he was trembling as much as she was.  
There was a round of applause from the other diners in the garden and Ben and Rey broke off in surprise, and embarrassment, unaware that everyone had been watching them. They had been so wrapped up in each other that they had not even realised that their whole exchange had become a spectacle for the other customers. Reactions were sympathetic however; everyone had been rooting for the awkward young man and the tearful young woman, but luckily it seemed to have ended happily.  
‘Good thing you said yes,’ remarked Ben, still holding onto her tightly.  
‘What if I hadn’t?’ she murmured, not wanting to let go of him just yet.  
‘It wouldn't have made that much difference,’ he said with a shrug, ‘you’ve already said you want to be with me, I don’t really care how it happens. Just that it happens.’  
He looked so happy that Rey kissed him again, finally letting him go back to his side of the table to finish his breakfast. Rey was not sure what happened for the rest of the meal, she was in a state of blissful confusion, aware that something momentous had happened but not entirely sure what it meant. Slowly, she ate some of her pancakes, the intense sweetness of the syrup shocking her back into reality. ‘Did you plan this?’  
‘Not really, as you can probably tell,’ he replied, then smiled ruefully. ’I did want it to be a bit more romantic though.’ He looked at her intently, ‘But it’s the reason I came here. The last time we were together… it was so hard to say goodbye to you. Then I had to try and get on with things not knowing when we would see each other again, and I decided that I didn’t want that anymore. That when I’d done what I needed to do, I never wanted to have to say goodbye to you again.’  
A tear slipped down her face, it was what she wanted too. ‘You need some more time though?’  
‘Probably not that long,’ he shrugged, ‘especially if things keep progressing as well as they have been doing. What about your Temple project?’  
‘We’ve done about three-quarters of the archive now, it should only take a couple more months.’ Thinking in more practical terms helped to ground her back in the here and now, and she attacked her pancakes with relish. ‘Then I need to think of my next project.’  
‘When you’ve decided, I’ll help you in any way that I can,’ he promised her.  
‘I’d like that.’ Rey ate some more of her pancakes, thinking. ‘Do you think you’ll ever want to settle in one place?’  
‘That depends. If there’s a reason to stay in one place, I don’t see why not.’  
‘I don’t really want to stay in one place,’ she said through a mouthful of pancake, surprising him. ‘All those years stuck on Jakku… I want to see everything that I can.’  
‘You’ve got the Falcon, haven’t you?’ When she nodded, he went on, ‘Then what’s stopping you?’  
‘I don’t know.’ It was an honest answer. ‘I feel like I need a purpose.’  
Ben laughed, ‘What purpose do you need except that you want to travel around and look at things? That’s a good enough reason for most people.’  
‘I don’t want to be most people,’ she frowned, delicately licking some syrup from her lip.   
‘There might have been a time when the Jedi were peripatetic,’ he mused, ‘perhaps you could take inspiration from them?’  
‘Peripa…what?’   
‘Moving from place to place,’ he smiled, ‘travelling around. Helping out where they were needed. One thing about the Jedi I’ve never really understood is why hiding away in isolated places, studying the mysteries of the Force, was supposed to be helpful for the galaxy.’  
Rey opened her mouth to reply, then shut it again. She was going to say something about how meditation and exploration of the Force was perhaps best done away from worldly distractions but she realised that Ben was talking less about the Jedi and more about himself. So that’s what he had been doing, using his need to atone for his past to create a new approach to what the Jedi might be. It intrigued her but she knew it was pointless to ask him directly, he would only clam up. ‘I like that idea.’  
‘What’s that?’  
‘The Jedi moving around and helping people,’ she scrutinised his face but he wasn’t giving much away. ‘Wouldn’t that make training new Jedi more difficult though?’  
‘It might do, I hadn't really thought about it.’  
‘If you only had a few students, it might work,’ she suggested, finishing her last piece of food and putting her fork down on the plate. There was still a largish puddle of syrup and she longed to dip her tongue into it and lick it all up, but for once she managed to override her desire.  
‘It might.’ Ben knew what she was doing, and he appreciated it. There were going to be some long, difficult conversations in the future over what they should do when they actually were together, so any common purpose would help. ‘Anyway, enough about the Jedi. What are we going to do now? I’ve got a couple of hours left before I need to be at the port.’  
Rey yawned, unsure. ‘We could walk around, see the sights.’  
‘What sights?’  
‘Um…’ All she could think of were the Temple and the Senate. She didn’t really want to go back home because she was worried about bumping into more people she knew, although being at home did have other advantages. ‘I think we’ve seen them all.’  
Merko appeared to collect their dirty plates. He smiled at them both, ‘How was it?’  
‘Lovely,’ said Rey automatically; she was barely paying attention, too busy thinking. ‘Merko, if you had a couple of hours to kill, what would you do?’  
The cafe owner frowned, ‘What, around here?’  
‘Yes.’ She looked at him expectantly.  
‘There’s some good shops, but then you don’t really like shopping.’  
‘No.’  
‘I’d probably go to the library, but I guess that’s not really want you want to do either.’  
She glanced at Ben, who only smiled. ‘Not really.’  
‘You could try the Museum,’ Merko went on, ‘I’ve not been there for a long time but it’s quite interesting from what I remember.’  
‘Let’s try that,’ said Ben, almost losing the will to live. He would have been content just to walk about with Rey, being together, but she seemed determined to find them a specific destination to go to. ‘Thank you.’  
‘Great - come and pay inside when you’re ready.’  
As Merko vanished back inside, Rey peered in her cup and saw that she still had most of her tea left. ‘I’ve never been to the museum.’  
‘That makes two of us,’ Ben drained the last of his tea, watching her closely. She seemed to be in a daze. ‘Are you okay?’  
‘Hmm?’ Rey wasn’t really listening, her mind far away. Ever since he had asked her to marry him, her mind had been mulling it over, thinking about the implications, what it meant. She wondered if she should tell Finn and Rose, what they would think.   
‘Never mind, Are you ready to go?’ He was aware that their time together was ticking away.  
‘What? Yes, this tea’s gone cold.’  
Getting up, they went to pay for the meal. They had a small argument over who should do it, and in the end Ben let Rey go whilst he went to find the bathroom. Whilst at the counter, Merko winked at her. ‘I hear congratulations are in order.’  
‘What?’ Rey was confused for a moment, but then she remembered the moment in the garden. ‘Oh yes, well, it’s early days yet.’  
‘I didn’t even know you had a boyfriend,’ Merko went on, tapping into his device, ‘you kept that quiet.’  
‘I did?’ The word ‘boyfriend’ seemed so pathetic and shallow compared to what Ben really meant to her but she didn’t know how she could even begin to explain their relationship. ‘Probably because Finn’s always going on and on about Poe. I can’t get a word in edgeways.’  
‘My goodness, he does like to talk about him, doesn’t he,’ laughed Merko. ‘Anyway, I hope you’ll be very happy.’ He leaned across the counter, whispering conspiratorially, ‘He’s such a handsome man, and so tall. You lucky thing.’  
‘Thanks.’ Rey blushed; he was not the first to say it but it felt strange that other people had reached the same conclusion that she had.  
‘So tell me, where have you been hiding him?’  
‘Ben’s been travelling,’ said Rey, not sure what else to say. She could see out of the corner of her eye that subject of their discussion was coming back and decided to leave it at that.  
‘All done?’ asked Ben when he came over. Rey’s cheeks were flushed and he could tell by her slightly panicked demeanour that they had been talking about him. He felt embarrassed again that what he had wanted to be an intimate moment between the two of them had turned into a public performance.  
Rey nodded. To Merko she said, ‘See you soon,’ and he waved cheerily.  
‘Goodbye!’


	12. Pickpockets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On the way to the Galactic Museum, Rey and Ben are tricked by some pickpockets, who steal some of Rey's personal items, including her lightsaber. Giving chase, a fight ensues between the pickpockets and Ben - who is badly wounded by one of the thieves - and Ben discovers that his anger is not as controlled as he would like to think it is.

They made their way to the Galactic Museum, passing through one of the most popular shopping and entertainment districts to get to it. The streets were very busy and the crowds were dense, and Rey kept a tight hold on Ben’s hand so that they didn’t get separated. They were walking past a row of clothes shops, Rey telling Ben about what she wanted to do with her garden, when a large man bumped rudely into Ben, pushing him out of the way.  
‘Hey!’ Ben spun round to glare at the man, as did Rey. ‘What was that for?’  
‘Sorry, didn’t see you there.’ The man shrugged apologetically, and carried off down the street as if nothing had happened.  
‘How could he miss you?’ frowned Rey, staring after him.  
‘Hmm,’ Ben thought there was something strange about the encounter, and he checked his belt and his pockets. ‘Make sure you’ve not lost anything,’ he said to Rey, relieved to find that his lightsaber was still there.  
‘Why?’  
‘Pickpockets,’ he said, having seen the technique before. ‘That guy was the decoy.’  
‘My bag!’ exclaimed Rey, noticing that it was gone. ‘And my lightsaber! How did they…?’  
‘Dammit!’ Ben immediately sprang into action, heading off in pursuit of the man, who had already disappeared into the crowd. But Ben’s instincts were highly focused and he soon spotted him, now accompanied by a young girl, probably the one who had taken Rey’s belongings whilst they had both been distracted.  
‘Hey!’ shouted Ben as soon as he had them in sight, ‘Come back here!’  
The man immediately turned; seeing Ben he took off, dragging the girl along with him. They had a head start, but Ben was fast, and he kept them in sight, closely followed by Rey.  
The thieves headed down an alleyway, into a labyrinthine network of narrow streets that were well known for their association with the pickpocket gangs that plied their trade around this part of Coruscant. One of the more ancient parts of the city, it was characterised by grimy housing and the backs of the many shops, bars and more seedier businesses that fronted the better streets. The alley was narrow, piles of rubbish making it treacherous underfoot. Groups of citizens clustered around light-filled doorways, many of them refugees from the more dangerous, lower levels of Coruscant.  
Running into the alley, Ben noticed that the man and the girl had disappeared. Warily, he jogged along, sensing that the two of them were nearby but he could not pinpoint them exactly. He was just passing by one of the doorways when the man suddenly appeared, hitting him hard in the face with a large piece of wood.  
Gasping, Ben went flying backwards into the street, blood pouring from his face where a splinter had caught him. Satisfied that he would not follow them further, the man dropped the makeshift weapon and headed off into the streets after the girl.  
‘Ben!’ Rey, who had been just behind, saw him lying on the ground, clutching at his face. Running over, she crouched down beside him, checking him over. ‘What happened?’  
‘He got me.’ Ben groaned, aching where he had hit the concrete, his face smarting where the wood had raked his skin.  
Rey searched in her pockets for a tissue, finding only a used one but deciding that it would have to do. Tenderly, she pressed the tissue to the cuts on his face, soaking up as much blood as she could.  
‘Leave that,’ said Ben, taking the tissue from her, ‘we have to get after them.’ They couldn’t leave Rey’s lightsaber in the hands of an obviously violent and dangerous criminal.  
Rey helped Ben up and they were soon on the move again. The two pickpockets seemed to have vanished but eventually they came across a group of children happily playing the dirt. After some gentle encouragement, the boldest of the children told them which way the man and the girl had gone. They had not got far when they could see them, up ahead, taking a look at their spoils, including Rey’s lightsaber.  
‘Hey you!’ said Rey indignantly when she saw it, ‘give that back!’  
Looking up, the girl immediately pulled out a blaster and started shooting at them both.  
‘Get down!’ Ben dived to the ground, pulling Rey with him, the bolts passing over their heads and slamming into the ground behind them. Grabbing his lightsaber, he jumped to his feet, using the weapon to deflect more of the laser bolts that came screaming towards them until the two thieves realised that their own weapon was useless. Taking to their heels, they headed off down the alleyway, Rey and Ben in hot pursuit.  
‘We need a plan,’ shouted Ben as they raced down another narrow thoroughfare.  
‘What’s that?’ asked Rey, leaping out of the way as a door opened and a hefty-looking Neimoidian stepped out, gasping with surprise as the two Jedi streaked past him.  
‘I don’t know yet.’  
Coming to another junction, there was no sign of the pickpockets. Closing his eyes, Ben used the Force to map out the maze of streets before them, looking for clues to the whereabouts of their quarry. ‘I think we can block them off,’ he said eventually to Rey, who had been watching him quietly. ‘You keep going this way, I’ll head down that way and we’ll trap them in the middle.’  
‘You’re sure?’ Rey had bad memories of the last time they had split up.  
‘Here, take this.’ Giving her his lightsaber, he pressed a kiss to her mouth and disappeared off down the opposite alleyway. ‘Just keep an eye out for a neon sign,’ he called back to her, ‘and be careful!’  
‘Okay.’ Keeping her mind focused, Rey continued along the sordid street, walled on either side by crumbling buildings of dubious origin. Suddenly, up ahead, she could see the young girl standing against the wall, seemingly alone. She was stood under a fizzing and broken neon sign, its blinking light illuminating a boarded-up window and scattered piles of debris. There was no sign of the man who had been with her.  
Clever boy. She was impressed by Ben’s ability to cut through the noise and commotion of the city, wondering if it was something that he could teach her. Slowing down, she kept tight to the wall, using the Force to create a shadow around her, obscuring her presence from the pickpocket. She was just wondering where Ben had got to when he stumbled around the corner and almost collided with the young woman.  
Surprised by his appearance, the young girl chucked Rey’s bag at him. ‘It’s all in there!’ she cried, using his distraction to vanish into the dark.  
Reaching Ben, Rey stared after her. The girl was young and scrawny, barely an adult. Many of Coruscant’s criminals were from the lower levels of the city, young people from broken families, often abandoned on the streets to fend for themselves. Little different from herself, including the hold that the older man seemed to have over her.  
‘Here you go,’ Ben handed her the bag in return for his lightsaber.  
But when Rey checked inside the bag, she was not happy. Except for a few credits, and a broken blaster, it was empty.  
‘What?’ Ben noticed that something was wrong.  
‘They’ve still got my lightsaber,’ she warned him.  
‘Idiot!’ Cursing himself for being so stupid as to believe the girl, Ben set off after her again.  
‘Hey, slow down!’ Rey shouted after him, but it was too late. He was a man on a mission and after putting her bag back on, she chased after him.  
Racing ahead, Ben had seen that the girl had been joined by the man again. He was convinced that the man had some form of Force ability, explaining their success at keeping themselves relatively hidden within the city’s streets. But he was onto them, blocking out the many distractions around him to keep them in view. By now they had left the relative safety of the alleyways and were back on the busier streets of the shopping district, weaving in and out of the crowds. It suited Ben, for now they were more exposed, making them less likely to try any more dirty tricks. It also meant that it might garner the attention of the Republic’s security, although he had not seen any evidence of their presence. He could sense that both of the pickpockets were getting exhausted and he had nearly caught up with them when a blaster shot suddenly slammed into an advertising panel behind him. Screams pierced the air and Ben knew that he had to put an end to this wild bantha chase before someone innocent got hurt. ‘Out of the way!’ he yelled, doing as much as he could to warn pedestrians of his approach.  
Up ahead, the two pickpockets were getting desperate. They had not expected the chase to go on so long, or their victims to be so persistent. Glancing round, they saw that the taller of their two pursuers was close behind, the crowds scattering as he charged angrily through them.  
‘Can you get him from here?’ asked the man.  
‘I’ll try.’ Focusing, the girl aimed her blaster at Ben's head and she was about to pull the trigger when the angry drone of a speeder horn startled her and she jumped backwards to get out of its way.  
‘This way!’ yelled the man, using the obstacle as an opportunity to take a detour down a nearby side street. But it turned out to be a dead end and, turning quickly, they were immediately confronted by the tall, furious presence of Ben Solo.  
‘Where is it?’ he said menacingly, advancing towards them, his lightsaber raised.  
In desperation the girl pulled out her blaster but it made no difference. Ben easily deflected the laser bolts with his weapon, at the same time using the Force to yank the blaster out of her hand and throw it into a nearby pile of rubbish.  
‘We… we don’t know what you mean,’ stammered the man, beginning to realise that they had taken on someone far more powerful than they had realised. ‘The bag was empty when we got it!’  
‘I don’t think so,’ said Ben, slowly walking towards both of them, trying to contain his growing anger. ‘Just give back what you took and you can go.’  
Behind him, Rey appeared, relieved to have found him.  
‘We haven’t got anything,’ insisted the girl, holding up her hands. ‘The bag was empty.’  
Skidding to a halt, Rey glanced at Ben. He looked furious, the Force all around him roiling and surging with his barely suppressed rage. Suddenly she was more worried about him then getting back the contents of her bag. ‘Ben…’  
‘No it wasn’t.’ Ben raised his hand, bending his fingers into a fist. ‘Tell me what you’ve done with it.’  
Already the two pickpockets were finding it difficult to breathe, clutching at their throats.  
Horrified, Rey grabbed his arm before he could do anything he regretted. ‘Ben, don’t!’  
The sound of her voice, her touch on his arm, jolted him out of his focussed state, forcing him back to the reality of the noisy city streets. Realising what he was doing, he stopped, relaxing his hand.  
Cowering in front of him, the man and the girl stared at Ben, wondering what terrible power he possessed.  
‘It’s not worth it,’ said Rey, keeping hold of Ben’s arm. She could already feel that he was calming down, although he was still angry. But now it was directed at himself.  
Realising their error, the pickpockets began emptying their pockets, flinging Rey’s lightsaber, credits and key card onto the ground in front of her, eager to be away from them. ‘Here you go. We’re sorry we took it!’ the girl sobbed.  
‘Now go!’ Rey stepped aside and the two pickpockets quickly disappeared, heading back into the city streets without a backwards glance. Crouching down, she started to pick up her belongings. Ben soon joined her but he moved as if in a trance, on autopilot. ‘What happened?’  
Ben remained silent, ashamed for using his power in such a terrible way. There wasn’t much more to say and, after giving her the credits he had collected together, he sat down for a moment in the alleyway, unable to look at her. Inside he felt terrible, all his worst fears about the darkness inside him becoming real again. He had lashed out, wanting to hurt someone. He had thought turning back to the light would have dampened such an impulse but perhaps he was not as healed as he had thought himself to be.  
When Rey had finished putting her belongings back in her bag, she went over to sit beside him, ostensibly to check the cuts on his face but really to try and talk him out of his self-loathing. For she could see the he was punishing himself.  
‘What did you say to me last night?’ she said, trying to clean away the dried blood with another tissue she’d found. ‘We have to try and understand the darkness. Why it’s there.’ She could see that he was going to have a terrible bruise eventually, the skin around his nose was red and sore.  
Ben sighed, too annoyed with himself to even stop her from fussing over him. ‘I wanted to hurt them.’  
‘Why?’ she asked, licking the tissue in order to remove the most stubborn dried blood before starting to tackle his face again.  
He frowned, thinking it was obvious. ‘They took your things!’  
‘And they hurt you…’  
‘But that doesn’t make it right.’  
‘I know.’ Seeing that she wasn’t getting anywhere, Rey tried another tack as she wiped his face clean of blood. ‘I struggle with my anger too, you know I do. I attack without thinking. I murdered Ochi and then tried to murder him again! I destroyed the Shadow with the knife… Luke was very cross with me about that…’  
‘I should think so,’ muttered Ben. He’d wondered how she had got rid of the Shadow, but for some reason he had not thought to ask her what happened after he’d blacked out in the Netherworld.  
‘I even whacked Finn once because I thought he’d stolen something from BB8.’  
‘When was that?’  
‘When we first met.’  
‘And he still wanted to be friends with you?’  
‘Amazingly, yes,’ she smiled, seeing that he was slowly realising what had happened wasn’t the end of everything. ‘You see?’  
‘So you think it’s okay for me to threaten someone because you do it too.’ He looked over at her, trying to make sense of her words. ‘Is that what you’re saying?’  
‘No,’ she frowned, wishing he wouldn’t twist her meaning. ‘I mean that you’re not the only one struggling with the darkness. And you won’t be the last. But the main thing is that once you realised what was happening, you stopped.’  
‘Only because you were here.’  
Gah, he was so frustrating! ’Maybe. But I don’t think you’ll do it again. Like I won’t ever stab anyone or anything ever again. Because, like you will, I’ll remember what got me there, and how awful it felt when I realised I’d done it.’  
Leaning his head back against the wall behind him, Ben closed his eyes, finally understanding what she meant but still not fully convinced that he could do what she suggested. ‘I hope you’re right.’  
Leaning forwards, she kissed him on the cheek. ‘Have we still got time to go to the museum?’  
Pulling out a small device from his pocket, Ben checked the time. ‘There’s still a couple of hours. Looks like the ship’s been delayed.’ All he really wanted to do was to curl up in a ball and disappear, to forget about everything that had happened. But he knew he couldn’t do that anymore. He had to confront the reality of what he was, what he was capable of. Like Rey seemed to be able to. ‘You still want to go with me?’  
‘Of course.’ A heady mixture of emotions swirled around her. However strange it was, the reckless pursuit and his determination to avenge her had made her feel lightheaded, and she tried to push the feelings aside.  
‘Come on,’ said Ben. He was eager to be on the move again, to put what had happened behind him. But he couldn’t help ruminating over events for a long time afterwards, playing them over and over in his mind. Trying to pinpoint exactly when he had lost control of himself and let the darkness inside him take over. As Rey had implied, trying to think of the steps that had led towards it - the feelings involved, the rush of anger and hate - would perhaps help to prevent it from happening again in the future. To not let those same feelings take over him next time.  
They left the alleyway and went back into the main street; clearly no one had even noticed the altercation between them and the pickpockets, and there was no sign of the two criminals either. It started to rain, a few drops splattering down onto the pavement from the cloudy sky, and Ben and Rey walked quickly in the direction of the museum.  
Ben had gone quiet, and Rey decided that she was prepared to sacrifice them being together for a while longer if it meant he could find the peace within himself that he so sorely needed. ‘Ben?’  
‘Hmm?’  
‘If you need more time to… to sort your head out, you know you can take as much as you need, don’t you?’  
‘You’re okay with that?’ When she nodded, he took her hand and pressed it to his lips, glad that she understood. ‘I don’t want to be in that state of mind ever again. I thought I’d gone past the need to… the need to hurt myself and others. But clearly not.’  
‘I still think you’re being too hard on yourself,’ she commented, as the museum finally came into view. ‘Most people would have done the same.’  
‘But we’re not most people, are we?’ he pointed out. ’We shouldn’t abuse our powers.’  
Rey sighed, knowing that ultimately he was right. They had been given a great gift and to misuse it was to learn nothing from what had happened over the past few years. ‘No, we shouldn’t.’


	13. Visiting the museum

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben and Rey enjoy their trip to the museum, but fatigue sets in. The emotions stirred up by the altercation with the pickpockets, Ben's proposal and his imminent departure prove too much for Rey and she persuades him to have sex with her in the museum toilets. Amazingly, Ben agrees to go along with it, and they laugh about it later over tea and cake in the museum cafe. Then it's time for Ben to leave and Rey goes with him to the space-port, where she meets the Captain and Co-pilot of the ship that Ben travelled on. Just before Ben leaves, he ends up making a rash decision which makes saying goodbye even harder.

They came to the museum, a huge monstrosity built out of white stone that dominated the plaza it stood upon. It was an odd shape, rectangular but reaching to a sharp point on the right hand side, looking like it was about to tip over on its side. It had been built fairly recently in Coruscant’s history, predating the fall of the Republic by only twenty years. It had suffered under the Empire, its displays re-written and altered to reflect a bastardised history, then restored under the New Republic to a more balanced view of the past. Fortunately the First Order had not been so interested in re-interpreting its displays, and it had escaped relatively unscathed. Under Poe’s leadership it had regained its previous importance, and along with the Jedi Temple, it had become a symbolic, and actual, reminder of the Republic’s history and legacy.  
The rain was coming down steadily now and they hurried up the steps towards the entrance, glancing up to look at the five abstract statues that had been positioned outside the museum, depicting the diversity of the galaxy’s many planets and species. Inside, the museum was busy, packed out with harassed-looking carers being dragged around by over-excited children, and more sedate couples and older family groups, trying to avoid the former. Approaching an enthusiastic assistant, Ben and Rey found out that the museum was arranged in chronological order, the galleries starting with the assumed ‘Big Explosion’ that had kick-started the formation of the Universe, followed by several galleries that explored the nature of the Force, and the development of art and culture from the first species onwards. Thanking the assistant, they decided (well, Ben decided, Rey wasn’t quite so bothered) to start logically at the beginning. Making their way slowly around the galleries, Ben and Rey were impressed by the collections, which represented a much more diverse and fascinating set of objects than either of them might have expected.  
‘We better keep an eye on the time,’ said Ben, as they walked around one of the later galleries, a series of artworks showing how various styles, materials and mediums had emerged on different planets over time. Finally he had started to relax, the collections distracting him from his innermost concerns. ‘I could spend days in here.’  
‘I didn’t think it would be this interesting,’ agreed Rey, who was rather taken with some artworks from Mon Cala, their twisting, writhing forms strangely primitive, as well as erotic.  
Ben stared at them, ‘You like these?’  
‘Yeah, I don’t know why,’ she admitted, not having the language to put her ideas into words.  
‘They’re different,’ Ben wasn’t sure why but the paintings disturbed him rather than intrigued him, perhaps it was their all too obvious connection to the mysteries of life.  
They drifted through more of the galleries, but Rey found that her attention was beginning to wane. Instead of looking at the objects, she found that she was focused more and more on Ben. She was watching him out of the corner of her eye, thinking how handsome he looked with his thick, wavy hair and expressive dark eyes. No other man, or woman, caught her imagination as much as Ben did, and she found herself longing to kiss him, and to feel his hands on her body. Clearly Ben had caught some of her thoughts as it was not long before he was looking at her too, his desire evident in his eyes. The heat of their attraction to each other flooded over her, making her cheeks flush and her insides tingle. 'This is wrong.'  
'What is?' Ben looked at her quizzically.  
'You’re really turning me on.' She couldn’t deny it. The emotions that had been stirred up by the pursuit of the pickpockets were still potent, as was the realisation that this would be the last time they would see each other for a while.  
After what had happened, he thought that sex would have been the last thing on her mind, but clearly not. His forehead creased ever so slightly. ’We can’t do anything about it here,’ he said, trying to concentrate on the exhibits in front of him.  
‘Why not?’ Taking his hand, she knew it was wrong but she couldn’t ignore her desire for him, the more she thought about it, the more intense it became.  
‘Do I even have to say why?’ The thought appalled him after his experience with the pickpockets, but he couldn’t deny that her persistence was inflaming his own need for her. No doubt influenced by their connection.  
‘But I need you.’ Rey knew that she was indulging the very thing she had just told Ben to be wary of, but she didn’t know what she would do otherwise. The craving for him was so strong that she could hardly think about anything else. Coming up close to him, she whispered, ‘And you need me.’  
She had him there, ‘I know but…’  
‘It’ll be the last time before you go. Please, Ben.’  
‘Oh alright.’ Lacking sufficient willpower to refuse her, Ben caved in. ‘What do you suggest?’  
Now that he was with her, Rey belatedly found herself realising the implications of what she had started. What could they do? They were in a public place. It was too late to go back to her apartment. But she couldn’t back out now, things had gone too far. Remembering that she had seen some signs earlier for the bathrooms, she dragged him back that way, much to Ben’s mounting horror. Luck was on her side, there were several rows of separate cubicles rather than the larger, gender-specific bathrooms that were more common across the city. Pushing open the door to one, she saw that it was just large enough to fit them both. Pulling Ben inside, she closed the door and locked it before he could object.  
‘What are you doing to me?’ he moaned as she turned towards him eagerly, but soon he was kissing her passionately, affected by his need for her as much as her need for him. He started to undo her clothes, fumbling in his haste, whilst Rey had already got his jacket off, running her hands over the smooth skin underneath his shirt. There wasn’t much space to manoeuvre and Ben bumped her against the sink, ‘Sorry.’  
‘Shush,’ she warned him, kissing his mouth and pulling him closer as his hands found their way into her pants.  
There was nothing pleasant about the experience. The toilet smelt of bleach and a cloying, synthetic fragrance. They could hear people going into the cubicles either side and every noise was painfully loud; the flush of the toilet, the rush of the water and the hum of the drier. They had to be almost silent so as not to attract attention, which only added to the tension. But it was impossible to stop, both of them in the grip of something that was irresistible.  
Already Rey could feel the heat rising in her head as Ben’s fingers caressed the moist, sensitive area in between her legs, stimulating her clitoris and making her squirm in delight. She reached into his pants, finding his arousal, feeling him tremble as she started to stroke him tenderly.  
‘Harder,’ he breathed in her ear, nearly biting his lip when she did so, the intensity of the sensation taking him by surprise. But when Rey pressed her face against his shoulder to stop herself from moaning loudly, he knew that he must also be feeling her climatic response to his gentle but insistent touch. ‘All done?’  
‘Yes.’ Rey was flushed, panting. ‘But I want you.’  
‘Right.’ Seeing no other option, as every wall was obscured by sanitation ware, Ben lifted Rey up onto the edge of the sink, hoping it would do. ‘Okay?’ he whispered, groping about in his pocket for some protection.  
‘Yes.’ Her position was precarious and uncomfortable, and she had to hold onto him tightly, but all her concerns vanished when Ben entered her, and she felt the familiar, blissful sensation that came with feeling him inside her. It was as though her body could not rest until she had achieved union with him. Grasping him tightly with her thighs, she struggled to keep quiet as the sensations built and built, burying her face against the soft, warm skin of his neck to muffle the cries that slipped out. And there were several, although Ben did much better, managing to stop himself crying out as relief finally came. They held each close as their bodies shuddered in the grip of their fierce desire, eventually relaxing as the climax worked itself out, bringing them back down again. After a minute or two, Ben extracted himself from Rey, then carefully lifted her down from the sink. In complete silence, they both relieved and washed themselves, got dressed, and left the cubicle.  
‘Let’s find the cafe,’ suggested Ben, trying not to feel traumatised by the experience. ‘I could do with a drink.’  
‘Good idea.’ Now that Rey had worked through her craving for him, she felt more relaxed, lighter even. As if a weight had been lifted and she was free to be with Ben in whatever way she wanted, not driven to distraction by the incessant demands of her body.  
By the time they found the cafe, they were both in fits of laughter, unable to quite believe what they had just done. Leaving Rey to find somewhere to sit, Ben went over to the counter to order their drinks.  
The cafe was busy, but Rey eventually found an empty couch and table. The place was smart but quirky, furnished with a mixture of chairs and tables, including couches, armchairs and larger wooden tables with mis-matched chairs. Sinking down into the couch, Rey leaned back into the cushions, closing her eyes. What a day it had been. And what had possessed her to push Ben into having sex with her in a museum toilet? He was right, she was no better than he was, giving into her darker impulses without a second thought.  
‘Here we go.’  
Hearing Ben’s voice, Rey’s eyes snapped open to see him putting down a tray of cups and two large slices of cake onto the table. ‘Oooh, yummy.’  
‘I thought we needed something to make up for that… experience.’ Ben sat down next to her.  
‘Don’t say it,’ she sighed, sitting up to take her tea, ‘I’m a bad influence.’  
‘I think we’re a bad influence on each other,’ he commented, looking at her with mock solemnity. ‘We seem to bring out the worst in each other, if today is anything to go by.’  
‘It’s only because we don’t see each other enough,’ she insisted, ‘if we saw each other all the time we’d probably be far less horny.’  
‘I hope you’re right,’ he said, risking a smile. ‘Otherwise you’ll be the end of me. Urgh, I’ll never feel clean again!’ He shuddered, half disgusted, half laughing. ‘You better not tell anyone about this!’  
‘Not even Finn?’  
‘No!’  
Rey leaned closer towards him, lowering her voice. ‘He won’t be shocked. Between you and me, he and Poe have had sex all over the Senate. In his office, in a cupboard…’  
‘Please stop!’ Ben hid his face behind his hands, ‘I did not need to know that!’  
‘It wasn’t that bad,’ said Rey, looking at him mischievously. ‘Admit it.’  
‘No, it was bad,’ he said, ‘I’m never letting you talk me into something like that again.’ He started laughing again. ‘Dammit, this is worse than one of Dad’s stories.’  
‘Let’s just forget today ever happened,’ said Rey pragmatically, taking a sip of her tea. ‘The pickpockets, the bad decision in the museum…’  
‘The awful marriage proposal…’  
‘No, not that.’ She stopped him there, realising that it had been a highly emotional day for both of them; perhaps it had been that, ultimately, which had made them act in such extreme ways. ‘I don’t want to forget that.’  
‘Good.’  
He leaned over to kiss her, and Rey quickly realised that his protestations were empty for as soon as their lips touched, she could feel the strength of his desire for her bubbling away under the surface. ‘You still want me,’ she murmured, incredulous.  
‘Of course I do,’ he whispered back, his eyes fixed on hers. ‘All the time. As I said, we’re a bad influence on each other.’ Sitting back, he picked up his cake. ‘But at least one good thing came out of today. That and this cake.’  
‘What’s that?’  
But Ben was distracted. ’You should try this,’ he said, his mouth full of cake.  
Tucking into her slice, Rey couldn’t believe how delicious it was. ‘Mmm, this is amazing! I’ll have to bring Finn and Rose here.’  
They ate the rest of the cake and drank their tea, talking about some of the exhibits, starting to feel like themselves again. Finishing her cake, Rey had put her plate down on the table and was just about to ask Ben a question when she noticed he was staring over towards the cafe entrance, his eyes wide. ‘What is it?’  
‘Don’t look, but two security guards have just appeared.’  
She caught his concern, ‘They’re not looking for us are they?’  
Ben put his plate down on the tray. ‘I don’t know. But I think we’d better go.’ There were plenty of Jedi mind tricks that would be helpful in the situation, Ben deciding on a simple confusion technique that would divert the guards’ attention elsewhere whilst they slipped out. It was easy enough to achieve, and soon Ben and Rey were outside the museum, running away hand-in-hand across the plaza like two giggling children, scattering the omnipresent birds that flocked there.  
‘It was time to go anyway,’ said Ben, looking back to see if they were being followed. But there were no sign of the security guards and they both breathed a sigh of relief.  
They made their way through the busy streets, heading towards Coruscant’s spaceport which was in one of the grubbier parts of the city, surrounded by buildings that had seen better days. It was the main hub of passenger and cargo transport from Coruscant to the rest of the galaxy, and was almost constantly busy, with freighters and passenger transports filling the busy hangars on the ground, as well as the floating platforms that made the most of the lack of opportunity to expand outwards into the city.  
When they got inside the entrance, Ben checked on the huge electronic information board to see where his ship was leaving from. ‘There it is,’ he pointed out to Rey after locating it, ‘Hangar 24-187.’  
It was one of the outlying hangars, and they took a shuttle to reach it. As the shuttle flew through the skyways, dropping people off at the various elevated hangar bays, Rey looked out the window, marvelling at the sheer size of the port. There must be thousands of ships to-ing and fro-ing across the galaxy, and it made her think how insignificant her life was against this backdrop of continual movement.  
Ben watched her, feeling subdued. He was already dreading saying goodbye, knowing that it would be difficult. The fun and adventure that they’d had together more than made up for the disastrous bits. And yet here he was about to leave her, knowing that she wanted to be with him, his own insecurities denying them both the chance to make it real. But he knew he couldn’t do it if there was still a chance that the darkness within him could flare up at any time. Despite what Rey said, he knew that he was still closer to the darkness than she had ever been and its tendrils went deep inside him.  
’Here we are,’ he said, trying to be cheerful as the relevant hangar number flashed up on the overhead display.  
The doors opened and they followed a couple of other travellers out of the shuttle, heading for the large freighter that was parked on the centre of the huge landing platform. On the entrance ramp, a droid was ushering passengers up inside the ship, whilst two men were leaning against the landing supports, laughing and joking. As soon as they saw Ben approaching, they waved to him.  
‘Here he is!’ The taller of the two men, the Captain, welcomed Ben with a friendly smile. ‘We were just wondering where you’d got to. Aha,’ he said as soon as he saw Rey, ‘and this is the young lady you came to see?’  
‘It is,’ said Ben, keeping hold of Rey’s hand.  
‘I’m Rey,’ said Rey politely, more interested in the freighter, which was an old model with extensive alterations, including additional storage pods clamped to the outside.  
‘Nice to meet you, Rey. You both had a good time?’ the Captain enquired in a friendly manner, but he frowned when he noticed the damage to Ben’s face. ‘What happened to you?’  
‘We er… ran into some pickpockets,’ Ben admitted, looking at Rey, but she was too distracted by the freighter to pay attention to what he was saying. ‘This place is crazy.’  
‘Coruscant’s not for everyone,’ agreed the co-pilot, a shorter man of mixed human and unknown species origin. Like the Captain, he was dressed in dark blue overalls. ‘I’m glad we only stop here, I’ve got no urge to go into that hellhole.’  
‘You’ve made some interesting modifications,’ said Rey to the Captain, unable to help herself. ‘Is that to increase the speed or the overall capacity?’  
‘More the capacity really,’ mused the Captain, ‘ever since the Republic lifted its restrictions on cargo weight, we’re finding contractors are wanting us to carry more and more bulk.’ He looked at Rey with interest, ‘Are you a pilot yourself?’  
‘Yes.’  
‘Got a ship?’  
Rey smiled, ‘A YT-1300 light freighter. It’s seen better days but I wouldn’t swap it for anything.’  
‘It’s a piece of junk,’ cut in Ben, teasingly, ‘it’s not even worth the scrap.’  
‘Sounds like your Dad’s ship,’ said the Captain to Ben.  
‘It is my Dad’s ship!’ laughed Ben, much to the Captain’s astonishment. ‘She stole it off me.’  
‘I did not,’ replied Rey indignantly, ‘Chewie left it to me.’  
The Captain laughed, he was old enough to know the infamous Han Solo and Chewbacca personally. ’It’s been real nice talking but we better get ready to leave, otherwise we’ll miss our slot.’  
‘Goodbye.’  
The Captain and co-pilot wandered off towards the freighter to make the final checks and get the engines warmed up, leaving Rey and Ben alone.  
‘They knew Han and Chewie?’ Rey asked in surprise, realising that meant they would know Ben’s story too.  
‘Yes,’ he nodded, understanding her concerns. ‘But I can trust them. They know everything that happened and… well, it’s fine.’ He smiled wearily, ‘You see, you’re not the only person who accepts damaged goods.’  
She groaned at his attempt at a joke, then turned towards him, putting her hands on his chest as his arms went around her. Looking up into his eyes, she found it difficult not to start crying, he looked so sad. ’I guess this will be it for a while.’  
Ben nodded, finding it difficult to know what to say. ‘We had a good time, didn’t we?’  
‘We did.’  
There were so many things he wanted to tell her but the words clammed up in his throat and instead he leaned forward to press his lips to hers, knowing that he could convey far more with his actions than with words. His hands were soon wrapped up in her hair, holding her face close to his as their kiss deepened, their tears mingling together as they said goodbye.  
It was hard to part from her, but Ben could hear the engines straining as the freighter prepared to leave. Reluctantly he pulled away from her. ‘Rey…’  
‘Don’t leave me,’ she pleaded, still holding onto him tightly.  
‘Then come with me,’ he said earnestly. It went against everything else he had said, but he knew he would be lost without her bright presence.  
‘Now?’  
‘Yes.’  
‘I want to.’ And for that moment, she really did. Oh, how she wanted to go with him. She could run away with him, be with him. There wasn’t much here for her besides her project at the Temple, her friends… But the more she thought about what she was leaving behind, the more she realised she couldn’t leave. Not just yet.  
‘But you can’t,’ he murmured, saying out loud the thoughts playing out in her head. ‘You need your friends more than me.’  
‘Don’t say that.’ She held onto him tightly for one last embrace. ‘I love you.’  
‘I love you too.’  
For as long as she could, Rey held onto him as he pulled away from her towards the freighter, only letting go of his hand at the last possible moment. Tears continued to drip down her nose and she impatiently wiped them away on her sleeve, wondering why she didn’t have the courage to go with him. She half wished that he hadn’t put the thought into her head.  
When he reached the boarding ramp, Ben turned back one last time to wave goodbye, and she waved back. It was her last chance to leave with him but she stayed where she was, rooted to the spot, watching him as he disappeared up into the ship. Slowly, the ramp folded up behind him and she moved away as the engines fired, lifting the heavy freighter slowly off the ground. The landing supports folded up inside and after a moment, the freighter blasted off into the sky, leaving the space-port, and Rey, far behind.  
‘Goodbye Ben,’ she whispered, feeling the strength of his presence vanishing along with the ship, reducing it to a more manageable level. It was little wonder that she was always hyped up when he was near her, the intensity of their connection had never really died down even after destroying the Shadow.  
I’ll be with you, sweetheart. Always.  
She smiled faintly, knowing that because of their bond, they would never be truly apart.  
Leaving the spaceport, Rey didn’t know how or when she got home. Although she felt calm initially, the feelings of sadness that had been skulking below the surface all day came back with full force now that Ben had gone. She was on autopilot, stumbling through the streets in a daze, barely able to concentrate on what she was doing. When she got back to her apartment, she ran to her bedroom and threw herself onto the bed, finally able to let her tears flow freely. Exhausted by everything that had happened to her that day, she slept soundly for the rest of the afternoon and most of the evening.


	14. Ben goes back to Corellia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An emotionally, and physically, exhausted Ben travels back to Coronet City on Corellia, and has a helpful chat with two of his father's old friends who run a courier and passenger business together. On his way back to his own ship, he bumps into Kyp and Rendol Dala, who are now living on Corellia. They invite him out with them for a drink and some food, and he ends up having a heart-to-heart with Kyp about his fears and insecurities around Rey, and the realisation that he will never forgive himself for turning to the dark side.

It was not long until the freighter was in hyperspace, and Ben sat in the main hold of the ship with the rest of the passengers, surrounded by the low hum of conversation. The droid, L9-D9, moved amongst them, making sure that everyone was comfortable. It was a small, but mixed crowd. There was a Rodian couple from Corellia who were returning from seeing their relatives, a mysterious spice dealer who was flying under the radar, and a talkative Aqualish, who just had to share, in great detail, their amazing experiences in the theatres of Coruscant. Ben did his best to be present, nodding politely and smiling in the right places when he was spoken to, but his mind was elsewhere. The events of the day had surprised, exhausted and confused him at equal turns, but most bewildering of all had been Rey’s almost acceptance of his invitation to abandon Coruscant and leave with him. It had been ill-thought out, and in hindsight he knew he shouldn’t have said it, but he was suffering now because he knew that she had almost said yes. She had been wavering and it made him wonder what might have happened if he had been more persuasive. Would she be sat here with him now? The thought was almost too much to bear. Yet, part of him knew that, in reality, he was kidding himself if he thought she’d have been happy to leave everything behind. She was attached to her friends, to her life on Coruscant and he didn’t want to be the one to tear her away from it.  
‘Alright, Ben.’  
He glanced up to see that the co-pilot had appeared, holding out a much-needed cup of tea for him, albeit in a plastic cup from a poorly cleaned machine. There was scum floating on the surface but Ben hardly cared, he would have drunk anything at that point and he reached out to take it. ‘Thanks. You got anything stronger?’ he asked, hopefully.  
‘There’s some Corellian rum out back,’ grinned the co-pilot, who’s name was Jym, taking a seat next to him. ‘But I don’t know if it’s a good idea. Your father didn’t always get on with it.’  
‘I’ll pass then,’ said Ben, who wasn’t much of a drinker at the best of times. And he knew that Corellian rum was amongst the strongest, most potent alcohol in the galaxy.  
‘You missing your girl?’ asked Jym sensitively, wondering what had prompted Ben’s low mood.  
Ben nodded. ‘More than I thought I would. I knew it would be difficult saying goodbye but…’ He stopped, not sure if he could put his feelings into words. He had known Jym for a long time, since he was young, and he was comfortable around him, that wasn’t the problem. It was more his own inability to describe the way in which Rey affected him. Even now, knowing that she was far away, he felt a deep ache in his heart that would take several months to heal, if it even could.  
‘You didn’t want to stay on Coruscant?’  
‘No, no. There’s no way,’ said Ben adamantly, taking a sip of his tea. It wasn’t as disgusting as it looked, fortunately. ‘The Senate would lock me up in an instant if they got wind of me being there. It’s too high a risk.’  
Jym nodded. ‘You need to find something you can do together,’ he said, trying to be helpful. ‘Look at me and Cap. We’ve been doing this over twenty years now, and we’re still as strong as when we started. When we first had the idea, everyone said that we’d regret it, that we’d end up hating each other. But it couldn’t be further from the truth.’  
Ben looked wistful. ‘I couldn’t think of anything better, flying around the galaxy with Rey. Going from place to place. Not being tied down to anything or anywhere.’  
‘It really is freedom,’ agreed Jym, scratching a cut on his cheek. ‘We’ve often talked about whether we should settle down somewhere but nah - that’s not for us! I know it sounds morbid but I wanna be doing this until I die. Sitting out front with Cap, the open reaches of space spread out far in front of us. Nothing between us and the whole of the galaxy. Like you say, I can’t think of anything better.’  
‘It’s all Dad ever wanted to do,’ said Ben softly. ‘I don’t think Leia ever understood his need to be out there. But I get it. I only wish…’ he trailed off, not sure what he wanted to say. As with any mention of his father, it reminded him that he had been the one to extinguish his father’s ability to enjoy the freedom of open space, when he could have been out there now, enjoying it with him. It was the main interest that they had shared, the one thing that had brought them together in those all too brief, exciting times before his strength in the Force had ruined everything.  
‘You’ll get there,’ smiled Jym, thinking Ben was referring to his relationship with Rey. ‘Just imagine, you could be following in your mother’s footsteps…!’  
Ben laughed. ‘No, no, that’s a terrible idea. I don’t have half of her patience, or her ability to put up with the artifice of it all. I can’t help speaking my mind.’  
‘I’d love to have known what she really thought about it,’ said Jym, leaning back against the couch. ‘It must have frustrated her.’  
‘Oh yeah, I saw that as a child,’ said Ben, ‘she was always complaining to Dad about the time it took to get things through the Senate, how conservative it was. The in-fighting and back-stabbing.’ It had been easy for Snoke to fan the flames of his doubt about the Republic and its processes, especially when it seemed to chime with what he’d heard from his mother.  
‘There you are!’  
Both men looked up to see the Captain, whose real name was Denny, approaching them. Taking a seat next to Jym, he put his arm affectionately around his partner. ‘I thought you two’d be hiding out the back, tucking into the rum!’  
‘We decided it wouldn’t be a good idea,’ admitted Ben sheepishly, putting his now empty cup on the table in front of him.  
‘Not with the mood he’s in,’ said Jym, helpfully. ’He’s missing Rey.’  
‘Ah, the young lady? I could see that when you were saying goodbye,’ grinned Denny, good-naturedly. ‘If I didn’t know any better, I’d have thought you were a couple of lovestruck teenagers!’  
This made Ben laugh. ‘The connection we have is er… a bit intense.’  
‘She seems a lovely girl.’  
‘Rey?’ Ben smiled, ‘She is. I don’t know many people who would be able to put up with me, or who would want to, but she chose to. And at the same time she’s amazing - strong in the Force, beautiful, kind…and a fantastic pilot.’  
‘You have got it bad,’ laughed Denny. ‘But I can see what you mean. As soon as she asked that question about the ship, I knew she was perfect for you.’  
‘Maybe too perfect,’ mused Ben, ‘I still can’t understand what I’ve done to deserve her.’  
‘Heh, that’s what Jym says all the time,’ quipped Denny, earning himself a glare from Jym. ‘Seriously, though I wouldn’t question it, Ben. After everything that’s happened to you… you deserve some happiness.’  
‘Do I?’ Ben still wasn’t sure that was true.  
‘Yes you do. Even Jabba the Hutt was happy in his own way, and he was truly despicable.’  
‘So what are you saying? I’m as bad as Jabba the Hutt?’ Ben tried hard to keep a straight face.  
‘No, kid, I’m not saying that. What I am saying is that there’s plenty of worse people in this galaxy. I’ve even met some of them. And I don’t see why they would be more deserving of happiness than you.’  
Seeing that Ben still looked uncertain, Denny looked about to say something else, but then a red light started bleeping on the console behind him, demanding attention.  
‘Looks like we’re coming up on Coronet,’ he said, slowly easing himself to his feet. They would be landing in around twenty minutes time after negotiating the entrance to the port, and they needed to return to the cockpit.  
‘I’ll go and start things off,’ said Jym, winking at Ben as he headed back towards the cockpit, passing L9-D9, who was reminding passengers of the immigration controls for Coronet City.  
Before he left him, Denny reached over and grasped Ben by the shoulder tightly, not liking to see him look so downcast. ‘Hang on in there, kid. You’re good at heart and anyone who knows you, the real you, knows that too. Don’t let anyone else, including yourself, convince you otherwise.’  
Ben nodded, smiling faintly as Denny squeezed his shoulder gently one last time before following after Jym to the cockpit. Having no possessions to collect together, he stayed where he was, a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach. Despite what he’d done, pragmatic men like Denny and Jym made him feel that it was possible he could, eventually, accept himself for who he was. His chief difficulty was knowing how long it would take until he could feel that he had started to atone for the pain and misery he had caused, for the innocent lives he had taken. So far he had taken a rather crude approach, trying to help the number, and type, of people he had wronged, but he knew it was much more complex than that. Fortunately his link to his uncle and to his mother through the Force was still strong, and they had helped to guide him through his darkest, most hopeless moments. Helping to give him a perspective on his achievements, as well as enabling him to understand how much further he needed to go. Yawning, Ben leaned back against the back of the couch, thinking he would have to have a nap at some point. He hadn’t realised how much the time with Rey had wiped him out.  
Landing in the main space port in Coronet City, Ben said his goodbyes to Denny and Jym as he took his leave of the ship. ‘Thanks for the lift.’  
‘No worries,’ smiled Denny warmly, ‘anytime you need us, just call us up.’ He winked, ‘When Rey’s with you, bring her along too! We’ll give her a guided tour of the ship.’  
‘You know, she’d really appreciate that,’ smiled Ben, first clasping hands with the older man, then with Jym. ‘Catch you later.’  
‘Later, kid.’  
Feeling weary, Ben walked through the busy spaceport. Everywhere, ships were being loaded and unloaded, and queues of passengers were waiting to board more bona fide passenger transports to a range of destinations. He moved out of the way as a speeder made its way through, carrying immigrants with their luggage, heading for a new life. In the midst of all the activity he felt lost again, not sure what he was doing and where he was headed. But he knew it was merely a wobble after his intense experiences with Rey; as soon as he was back, working on his project, he would have something concrete to distract him.  
Going over to one of the mobile stalls, he bought himself a caf and a sweet pastry, hoping it would give him the sharp burst of energy he needed to make it back to his ship. Sitting at a makeshift table and chairs nearby, he watched the many passengers that were making their way through the space-port, coming from all corners of the galaxy. People travelling alone, people travelling in couples and in groups. As he sat there, he realised that he was just one of many millions of others, trying to live their lives as best they could, with the resources that they had. But that didn’t worry him, it made him feel better to think that, in the scheme of things, now he truly was no one special. He would always be strong in the Force, able to use it to his advantage to help others, but he would never allow it to define him again.  
As he left the port and headed into the city, he noticed the crowds of citizens were far busier than when he had left the city the previous afternoon. It was early evening and people were spilling out of work and heading towards the various bars and cafes that populated this part of the city around the spaceport. When someone shouted his name, he glanced over to see a familiar couple on the street in front of him. ‘Kyp!’  
It was Kyp and Rendol, surprised to see him as much as he was surprised to see them. ‘Ben!’ said Kyp, enveloping him in a close embrace, ‘We thought you’d gone?’  
‘I kinda went,’ he admitted, holding her tightly before she pulled away. ‘But then I decided to do something stupid.’  
Rendol grinned, ‘You went to see Rey?’  
Ben nodded, looking embarrassed.  
‘And you were so adamant you weren't going to,’ laughed Kyp, delighted by his complete change of heart.  
‘I know. I was weak.’  
‘Wait a minute? Did you get in a fight?’ she asked in concern, seeing that his face was bruised and cut. Ever since she had found out about the reasons why he had fallen to the dark side, Kyp had wanted to adopt Ben. There was something so sad, so broken about him underneath the outward confidence of his manner that she always wanted to scoop him up into a big hug every time that she saw him. To tell him that everything would be okay, if only he would trust in himself and his own judgement.  
‘Something like that.’  
‘Ben…’  
‘I didn’t mean to,’ he said defensively, ‘before you start to worry about me. I’ve had enough of that from Rey.’  
Kyp raised her eyebrows, ‘She was happy to see you then?’  
Finally, Ben managed a smile. ‘Yes she was.’  
‘We were just heading out for some food,’ said Rendol, glancing at his wife, ‘would you like to join us?’  
‘You can tell us all about what happened,’ insisted Kyp, who was eager to find out how Rey was getting on.  
‘I don’t want to intrude,’ Ben began but both Kyp and Rendol shook their heads.  
‘Don’t be silly. You’re not intruding,’ Kyp insisted, linking her spare arm with the younger man’s. ‘You’re part of our family now.’  
Although he did not say it, Ben was grateful for their finding him and he readily tagged along. At first he had been uncertain about getting close to Kyp and Rendol, not wanting to be an additional burden on them considering how large their extended family already was. But it had not taken him long to realise that Kyp wanted to include him because she liked him, and Rey, not just because they had been willing to help her leave Exegol, but because she liked them as individuals. This was a relatively new experience for Ben, who mostly expected people to dislike him. But, as he had reflected earlier, he was coming round to the idea that he did have something to offer others that did not involve the Force or the complex legacy of his family.  
The canteen that they took Ben to was in a less busy part of town, surrounded by gaudy, inexpensive bars that were filled with noisy patrons celebrating the end of the working day. In case he was wondering, Kyp explained for Ben’s benefit that despite its simple and unprepossessing exterior, it provided some of the most interesting, and tasty, food in the city. It was unpretentious, attracting a mixed crowd from the very young, to the very old, and everyone was welcome. On Ben’s part, he uncharacteristically found himself enjoying the prospect of being with others rather than being miserable by himself, and he decided to try a new approach, to open up to Kyp and Rendol about his feelings rather than trying to hide them away. He was comfortable enough to do that with Rey, and he decided that it was high time he tried it with someone else.  
After giving their orders to the friendly waitress, and indulging in some light conversation about what she and Rendol had been up to since Ben had left them, Kyp decided that it was time to ask the younger man about Rey. When he looked a little more relaxed after a glass of sweet wine, she asked him, ‘You went to see Rey, then.’  
‘Yes.’  
‘And how is she?’  
Recalling his experiences over the day, Ben sighed. ‘She’s perfect.’  
Kyp laughed, ‘I meant as in her wellbeing, Ben, not as girlfriend material…’  
‘Oh sorry.’ He was getting carried away again, not concentrating. ‘Yeah, she’s fine. She’s still working on that archiving project at the Temple but I can tell she’s getting restless.’  
‘Has she decided to start training Force users yet?’ asked Rendol. It was a running joke between them that what they considered to be Rey’s natural calling was the one thing that Rey herself hadn’t realised yet.  
‘She’s nearly there,’ grinned Ben, ‘she’s still training Finn as and when she can. It’s like she just needs a push in the right direction.’  
‘From you?’  
‘Oh no, not from me.’ He shook his head vehemently. ‘No one needs life advice from me.’  
‘Don’t be so hard on yourself.’ Seeing that his glass was almost empty, Kyp started to fill it up again. ‘The best people to learn from are the ones who have made mistakes…’  
‘Are you trying to get me drunk?’ he interjected, watching as she finished emptying the bottle into his glass. He was already feeling tipsy, the bubbles in the drink sending the alcohol straight to his head.  
‘Yes,’ said Kyp, laughing at his indignant expression. Putting the bottle down, she smiled at him fondly. ‘Okay, I’m being naughty but you need to unwind, Ben. You’re always so uptight.’  
‘I know, I’m trying,’ Ben protested, but he did take a long sip of the wine. It was refreshing, especially considering the heat and bustle of the canteen.  
‘So, what did you get up to with Rey whilst you were there?’ asked Kyp as the waitress came back with their meals, ‘Thank you.’  
‘My pleasure, enjoy your meals!’  
‘What on Coruscant?’ Ben was too hungry to talk, but he tried his best to juggle eating and conversation, not being much of a natural storyteller. ‘Er, we had some food, Rey took me up on the roof of the Jedi Temple…’  
‘That must have been amazing,’ said Rendol, who had been impressed by Coruscant for the short time that he had been there. Although it was nowhere near as beautiful as the green oasis of Takodana, he was used to living in a city and Coruscant, in his opinion, was a fine example of one.  
‘It was,’ Ben nodded readily, ‘especially at night. It was almost magical up there, with all the lights spreading out across the city.’  
‘Almost?’ Kyp noticed that he wasn’t quite so sold on the idea.  
‘It’s hard to be a Skywalker and not feel bad about going into the Jedi Temple.’  
‘Because of Anakin?’ When Ben nodded, Kyp understood. For Rendol’s benefit, she explained, ‘Ben’s grandfather destroyed the Jedi Temple when he turned to the dark side.’  
‘I see,’ Rendol pretended to look shocked. ‘So you’re not the only Skywalker with a dodgy past?’  
‘No,’ replied Ben, ‘I wasn’t the first, but hopefully, I’ll be the last.’  
‘I’ll drink to that!’ said Kyp, raising her glass to his. ’Anyway, you were saying about you and Rey…?’  
‘Oh um… what else we did we do?’ Ben knew from experience that Kyp had a way of keeping him talking until he revealed all his secrets to her. She had learnt how to handle him whilst they had been on Exegol and now he could not escape her insatiable need to know everything about him. Once it might have been annoying, but with his growing affection for Kyp, and his acceptance that she needed to mother him, he was surprised to find that he wanted to tell her things that otherwise he would have kept to himself. But even he baulked at going over some of things that had happened on Coruscant. ‘We ran into some pickpockets. They managed to get Rey’s bag and lightsaber, but fortunately we got them back.’  
‘But not without a fight.’  
‘No.’ Quickly, he shovelled more food into his mouth to avoid having to go over what had happened in detail.  
That explained the bruising to his face. ‘You poor things!’  
‘We went to the museum. That was interesting.’  
‘The museum? So you did a bit of sightseeing,’ Kyp replied, glancing at Rendol as if to say, I didn’t think it would be this hard. ‘You had a good time, then?’  
‘I did and I didn’t,’ confessed Ben, thinking he was going to lose his head if she kept firing seemingly innocent questions at him. ‘I went and did something really stupid, okay!’  
‘No!’  
‘I did.’  
‘What?’ Kyp looked at him sympathetically. ‘It can’t be that bad.’  
Ben sighed and put his fork down. ‘I got a bit carried away. We both did. We did a lot of… er nice things together and I guess I was feeling very positive about where we were both headed. She said she wanted to be with me, and I want to be with her so I… I asked her to marry me.’  
Kyp was surprised, it was not the news she was expecting. ‘But that’s lovely, Ben!’  
Rendol was confused too, ‘Yeah, I don’t see what the problem is?’  
‘You don’t think it’s too soon?’ asked Ben, confused by his own thought processes.  
‘No,’ said Kyp, thinking that the poor boy just needed a confidence boost, and quickly. ‘The first time I saw you and Rey together, I knew you two were meant for each other. It was bloody obvious, even if you two were the only ones who couldn’t see it!’  
‘Okay,’ said Ben, allowing her that point. ‘But even if that’s true, I’ve got nothing to offer her. I’m not even sure where I’m headed after this next project has finished.’  
‘You don’t need to offer her anything,’ said Rendol, ‘she loves you, Ben, not your possessions.’  
‘And she’s got most of those already.’ Kyp couldn’t resist teasing him.  
‘Yeah, yeah, I know. I’m being an idiot.’ Ben took another sip of wine. ‘It’s like my heart tells me everything’s fine, but my head’s still trying to sabotage everything.’ In his lucid moments, he knew that most of his issues were of his own making.  
‘But that’s to be expected,’ said Kyp softly, reaching over to take his hand. ‘You had an evil influence in your head for years. You’re only just getting used to being free of it now. No wonder you can’t process what’s happening to you, you’re too used to being told that you’re wrong by the voice in your head.’  
Ben nodded, feeling tears creep into his eyes. ‘I still can’t believe that Rey loves me, if I’m being honest.’  
‘That’s Snoke’s influence. He made you feel unloved and unwanted. He isolated you from everyone who could have helped you. Sorry, kiddo, but it’s going to take years to undo all that from your head.’  
‘Then what do I do?’ That was the crux of his problem. He could work on himself, becoming a better person. He could help others to atone for the mistakes he had made. But he didn’t know how to get rid of the voice inside him that still insisted on parroting what Snoke had told him all those years.  
‘There’s only one solution that I can see,’ said Kyp, squeezing his fingers. ‘And that’s to spend time with the people you love. And who love you. Like Rey. Like me and Rendol. We’ll always be here for you, won’t we love, to help you when you need us.’  
‘Of course we will,’ agreed Rendol. Like all their adopted ‘children’, Rey and Ben had come to occupy a special place in their hearts.  
‘I know, and I’m grateful,’ said Ben, squeezing Kyp’s hand in return. ‘And I know I’m being overdramatic about Rey. It was just so hard to leave her, part of me wished I’d never gone. And even worse, I asked her to come with me and she almost said yes.’  
‘You do make life hard for yourself, don’t you,’ said Rendol, rolling his eyes. ‘Oh the folly of youth.’  
Kyp glared at him, thinking that he wasn’t being particularly helpful. ‘What did Rey say when you asked her to marry you.’  
‘She said yes.’ It was a small detail that he seemed to have forgotten in the ensuing strangeness of the day.  
‘There you go,’ said Kyp, finally letting go of his hand with one last squeeze. ‘Just remember that when you’re having one of your moments.’  
‘I need to get a grip, don’t I,’ he lamented, polishing off the wine in his glass. It was definitely starting to have a significant effect on him. As if he could finally let go of all the negative thoughts that his head was pushing onto him.  
‘I wasn’t going to say that exactly,’ grinned Kyp, emptying the last of the wine into his glass. ‘But you do need to focus on the positives more.’  
‘It was lovely moment,’ he said wistfully, thinking back to Rey’s expression, her beautiful face registering confusion at first but then revealing a simple, understated joy that had affected him deeply. ‘Although it wasn’t quite as romantic as I thought it might be.’  
‘Why, what happened?’ When Ben explained about the circumstances of his proposal, both Kyp and Rendol laughed. ‘Dammit, Ben, only you could be distracted from asking Rey to marry you by your food arriving!’  
‘It was pancakes…’  
‘I thought it was Rey who was the distracted one?’ laughed Rendol.  
‘I think the two of them are pretty much the same,’ said Kyp, pushing her plate away now that she was finished. ‘Isn’t that right, Ben?’  
Ben was about to say that Rey wasn’t quite as much of an idiot as he was but he stopped himself in time. Instead, he said more blandly, ‘I think that’s the influence of this dyad thing. Our boundaries are all blurred. Just like this wine is making my head.’  
‘Then you definitely need a pudding to soak up the booze,’ insisted Kyp, calling over the waitress now that they had all finished.  
By the time the meal had finished, Ben felt much better about himself and the days ahead. He still missed Rey with a deep sense of loss that he knew would take him a while to process, but as Kyp and Rendol reassured him, his declaration of love for Rey was sure to accelerate her own desire to be with him. He was so buoyed up by their chat that he even accompanied the two of them out to one of the local bars, spending a happy night and most of the early morning with them, drinking, chatting and laughing, finally falling asleep, drunk and dishevelled, on Kyp’s sofa.


	15. Catching up with Rey

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rose and Finn come to visit Rey, worried about her when she dioesn't turn up to work. They find out what she got up to with Ben, and are amazed by her escapades, especially when the pickpockets that she and Ben encountered end up on the HoloNet.

Rose and Finn had been worrying about Rey all day, especially when they found out that she had not turned up for work at the Temple. Pieta and Kassype had heard nothing from her, and repeated attempts to contact her had failed. This set off alarm bells for her friends, as it was most unlike her to take an unscheduled day off, let alone not tell anyone where she was. They had called on her apartment a couple of times, once in the morning and once in the afternoon but had got no answer, except for the recorded message. It was one that she used lots of times so they didn’t put much store by it.  
After finishing work, Rose decided that they should go and get some food and try one last time to make sure that she was okay. Finn had terrible visions of her lying in bed, covered in vomit, although Rose was slightly more measured, thinking that she was probably just feeling unwell and had forgotten to let anyone know what she was doing.  
Reaching Rey’s apartment, Rose rang the buzzer whilst Finn knocked loudly on the door. He could sense that she was in there, but after waiting a while, they still got no answer. After trying a couple more times, they were about to give up and try and break in when the door suddenly opened, and Rey was stood there, wearing her pyjamas.  
‘Rey!’ Finn cried, seeing that she was okay. He enveloped her in a close hug, ‘Thank goodness!’  
‘Sorry. I was asleep,’ mumbled Rey, holding him close.  
As soon as Finn let her go, he could see that something was wrong; her eyes were puffy and red, her cheeks pale, devoid of their usual colour. Finn could sense that she was in some kind of shock. The Force around her was awash with strong emotions that she was struggling to contain, but she was also strangely detached, as if she was trying not to be involved with the world around her.  
‘Are you okay?’ asked Rose, reaching out to touch her friend on the arm.  
‘Yeah,’ said Rey blankly, sniffling loudly. ‘It’s been an odd day.’  
‘Want to talk about it?’  
‘Yeah.’ Rey let them in, and Rose and Finn went into the living room. Rose was surprised to see how messy the usually neat and tidy apartment was. There were the remains of two cold and congealed meals on the sideboard, along with several dirty cups. The dress that Rey had worn for the ceremony was lying on the floor in a heap, and there were several small empty packets on the floor that looked suspiciously like… well, Rose did not want to even think about what those were.  
Seeing Rose’s expression, Rey looked down at the floor. ‘Oh,’ she said, blushing furiously. Bending down, she picked the packets up, silently cursing Ben Solo, and went to put them into the trash, quickly followed by the leftover food.  
Rose looked at her suspiciously, ‘Rey… what have you been up to?’  
‘I can explain,’ she said, as she picked up the clothes on the floor. ‘Um, Ben paid me a surprise visit.’  
Over by the sideboard, Finn sniggered. So Poe had been right. ‘You naughty thing! And we thought you were stuck at home, throwing up!’  
‘I’m sorry,’ said Rey, fiddling with the stuff in her hands. ‘I should have told you but… I can’t ever think straight when Ben’s around.’ This made Finn snigger even more and she frowned at him, ‘You can talk!’  
‘I know, I know.’ He looked at her mischievously, ‘Did you get to try anything I suggested?’  
Rey wrinkled her nose, ‘I’m not telling you that!’  
‘Meanie.’  
‘You need to tell us something,’ said Rose, as Rey tidied everything away, ‘you owe us after all we’ve been through today.’  
‘We expect to know everything in minute detail,’ added Finn, bringing the food over on a tray.  
They sat together on the couch to eat their food and Rey told them mostly everything that had happened; from bumping into Ben on her way to the bathroom, and how he had purposefully come all the way to Coruscant to see her. That they had ended up going up to the Temple roof, then come back to her apartment for food… and other things.  
‘Other things?’ laughed Finn, seeing Rey squirm with embarrassment. ‘Come on, don’t be shy about it. I bet you couldn’t keep your hands off him…!’  
‘Just like you and Poe, yeah we know about it!’ said Rose, raising her eyebrows. ‘Don’t worry, we don’t need to know all the gory details.’ She paused for a moment. ‘But you must have been busy?’  
Rey threw caution to the wind. ‘Oh, we did it at least three times,’ she said carelessly, ‘or was it four?’  
‘Four! Dammit, you’ve got some stamina, girl,’ laughed Finn, thinking that although Rey was quiet, he could imagine she was pretty intense in matters of the heart. ‘And Ben, well, I bet he’s well equipped to…’  
‘Don’t!’ Rose slapped him, ‘That’s too much, Finn.’  
Swallowing her mouthful of food, Rey flushed all the way to the roots of her hair. She knew that Ben would be mortified to know that they were talking about him in this way.  
Finn shrugged, not seeing what the problem was. ‘C’mon, we’ve all thought it.’  
‘Have we?’ Rose looked in askance at Rey, who squirmed uncomfortably.  
‘Yeah, have you seen the size of his feet…’  
‘I’m not saying anything,’ spluttered Rey, wishing Finn would change the subject. ‘Look, we had sex. It’s no big deal.’  
‘I’ll take you word for it,’ he grinned, seeing that it was very much the opposite. ‘Did you manage to leave the apartment at all?’ he wanted to know.  
‘We did actually,’ said Rey, taking a big mouthful of noodles. She hadn’t eaten since breakfast and she was starving. ‘We went to Merko’s, then we ran into some pickpockets and we went to the museum. It was a pretty packed day.’  
‘Clearly,’ laughed Rose. ‘No wonder you look exhausted.’  
‘What? Pickpockets?’ The casual way she said it made Finn do a double take.  
‘Yeah, there were two of them. They took my bag and my lightsaber…’  
‘But you managed to get them back?’ asked Rose, in concern. The thought of criminals running around with Rey’s lightsaber was not good.  
‘Yeah, don’t worry. It was all thanks to Ben,’ Rey explained, wishing that she was more of a storyteller. ‘He wouldn’t give up until he’d got everything back. But… in some ways, I wish he hadn’t.’  
‘Why not?’  
Rey sighed. ‘He got angry and lashed out with the Force. I mean, it wasn’t entirely his fault, one of them whacked him in the face and they tried to pretend they hadn’t taken anything. But it’s made him think that he’s not quite… not free enough of the dark side for us to be together yet.’  
Feeling her sadness, Finn put his arm around her, ‘Are you sure that’s it?’  
‘Yes. Why?’  
‘Perhaps he’s just not ready to commit…?’  
‘No it’s not that,’ said Rey quickly, knowing that Finn and Rose were sometimes too quick to doubt Ben’s intentions because of their protectiveness towards her. ‘Because he also asked me if I would marry him.’  
‘WHAT?” Both Finn and Rose stared at her, stunned by the news.  
‘Why didn’t you tell us!’ Rose couldn’t understand why that hadn’t been the first thing that Rey had told them.  
‘It’s pretty important,’ Finn scolded her.  
‘That’s why he came here. To ask me.’ Rey shovelled more food into her mouth, partly to give her an excuse not to do any more talking.  
‘That’s… that’s wonderful!’ exclaimed Rose, putting her fork down to give Rey a big squeeze. ‘What did you say?’  
‘Yes, what did you say?’ asked Finn, unable to bear the suspense.  
‘I said yes, of course.’ It seemed like a dream to her now, one of the strange things that had happened across a very strange day.  
Rose clapped her hands, ‘Oh my goodness, this is so amazing! Where did he ask you? How did he ask you?’  
‘When we were at the cafe. We were sat out in the garden.’ Rey smiled at the memory, ‘Ben was so sweet. And nervous. It didn’t help, though, that there were people watching.’  
Rose sighed, ‘I wish we’d been there.’  
‘Yeah, you could have told us that Ben was here,’ said Finn, feeling like he had missed out on something important, ‘it would have been good to see him.’  
‘I know, I’m sorry. I didn't think.’  
‘You just wanted to keep him all to yourself,’ Finn teased her, and, much to his amusement, she readily agreed.  
‘Of course I did, I haven’t seen him in ages.’  
‘As long as you’re both happy,’ said Rose, overjoyed on Rey’s behalf. ’That’s all that matters.’  
‘Yes,’ was Rey’s honest answer, otherwise she was finding it hard to think straight. ‘But everything’s so overwhelming. Our bond is so strong it takes me over sometimes. Well,’ she admitted, ‘all the time.’  
‘What do you mean?’ asked Rose, intrigued.  
‘Like I said before, I can’t think straight when I’m around Ben,’ she explained, putting her meal-box down now that she was finished and leaning back against the cushions. ‘When he’s around me, he’s all I can think about. If I’m honest, it’s one of the reasons why I didn’t want to fall in love with him. Not only because it… because it goes against the whole thing about being a Jedi and having no attachments. But because I knew this would happen, I knew it would change me.’  
‘But that’s what relationships are meant to do,’ said Finn softly, putting his own meal-box back down on the tray. ‘They’re meant to change us for the better, to help us understand what it means to truly love someone. I don’t know why the Jedi would reject that?’  
‘Because it’s selfish,’ said Rey with a big sigh, ‘well, it is when it’s all about one person. The Jedi are supposed to love everyone.’  
‘You can love everyone, and still love one person at the same time, surely,’ shrugged Finn, not seeing what the big deal was. He and Rey had talked about the same issue over and over as part of their Jedi training, and he thought that they had agreed the Jedi Code was too difficult to follow in their specific context, especially for Finn as it brought back bad memories of his indoctrination by the First Order.  
‘Yes you can,’ Rey readily agreed. ‘I think that’s true. But at the moment the way I feel about Ben, it’s definitely… I mean, it makes me focus on him so much. You can see that!’  
Finn was concerned, realising how much training to be a Jedi had warped Rey’s understanding of her own feelings. ‘It’s not just you, though. That’s normal. I feel exactly the same when I’m with Poe. It’s so intense at the beginning too, when it’s all new and you feel like your feelings are going to consume you. But the more you’re together, things will start to settle down and you’ll find a rhythm that suits you both.’ He reached over to take her hand. ‘I imagine it’s even more intense for you, though, because of the connection you have?’  
Rey nodded, ‘I feel everything that Ben feels, and he feels everything that I feel. It’s wonderful but also too much.’  
‘Describe it,’ said Finn, knowing that he was pushing her to reveal more than she was probably comfortable with, but he wondered if it might help her in another way to come to realise that she was not the only one that felt this way.  
‘Finn,’ Rose frowned, thinking that he was going too far again.  
‘It’s okay,’ said Rey softly, understanding what Finn was getting at. ‘It’s like an ache inside me, that I can’t seem to get rid of. Even when I’m with Ben, sometimes it doesn’t seem to go away, even when we’ve… you know…’  
‘But that’s desire.’ It was Rose who spoke this time. ‘Attraction.’  
‘It sounds more like lust to me, if I didn’t know you better,’ said Finn teasingly.  
‘You love Ben, it’s not surprising you feel strongly about him,’ Rose continued, ignoring Finn’s unhelpful comments.  
‘There,’ said Finn, ‘we all know what you’re talking about.’  
It made Rey feel better to know that what she was feeling was normal, albeit amplified by the unusual circumstances of the dyad. She smiled ruefully, ‘I’m being, silly, aren’t I?’  
‘It’s not silly,’ said Finn, squeezing her hand. ‘It’s feelings. And even if the Jedi didn’t know how to deal with them properly, you know you can talk about these things with us, can’t you?’  
‘Yes,’ Rey agreed. ‘I thought that’s what we were doing?’  
‘Good,’ said Finn, knowing that Rey was getting better at opening up to them than she had been in the past. ‘In that case, can you tell me something, because me and Poe are really dying to know. Does Ben have a big…?’  
‘Shut up!’ cried Rey and Rose together. Laughing, they all embraced each other, Rey feeling better for having shared things with her friends. She had been selfish by not telling them where she had been all day - and goodness knows how she was going to explain herself to Pieta and Kassype - but she realised it was only her insecurities that had prevented her from asking them for help. They were her friends, they wanted to help her.  
After tidying their meals away, Finn got them all another drink, then went over to the screen and switched it on.  
‘What are you doing?’ frowned Rose. She enjoyed talking and the HoloNet seemed an unnecessary intrusion.  
‘I’m watching the news,’ said Finn, plonking himself on the couch next to Rey. ‘It’s the only way I get to see Poe these days. I’ll turn it off afterwards, I promise.’  
Rey reflected that even though Finn and Poe were on the same planet, they still only saw each other slightly more than she and Ben did. ‘That must be really frustrating.’  
‘It is,’ said Finn with a sigh, ‘I mean, at least Ben’s got the excuse of being on a different planet.’  
‘Hey c’mon you two,’ said Rose, throwing a cushion at them both, ‘enough of the boohoo. At least your boyfriends are still alive!’  
‘I’m sorry, Rose,’ said Rey, cuddling up to her friend. ‘You must get really sick of us going on about it.’  
‘No, not really,’ she replied, ‘I can live my lack of a love life vicariously through you two. Though I think you’re winning at the moment, Rey.’  
‘Why?’ asked Finn, who was trying to concentrate on the news. It was the usual mixture of goings-on in the Senate and notable events from around the galaxy, ‘What’s her and Ben got going for them compared to Poe and me?’  
‘Er, let me think,’ said Rose, ‘marriage proposal, lots of sex, large, um, feet…’  
Whilst Rey giggled uncontrollably, Finn looked put out. ‘It might seem like a lot of sex but that’s only four times over… how long has it been? Two years? That’s nothing.’  
‘I didn’t know it was a competition,’ coughed Rey, wiping her eyes. How had their conversation become so bawdy?  
‘Yeah, I think we should talk about something else now,’ said Rose, winking at Rey. ‘You can tell me about your plans for the future.’  
‘I don’t really know yet, I need to see how things go,’ said Rey, leaning her head against Rose’s shoulder. ‘Ben needs more time to sort his head out, and I need to decide what I’m doing after I finish this project at the Temple.’  
‘I thought Poe had made you its custodian?’  
‘He suggested it but I’ve not formally accepted.’  
‘Why not?’ Finn decided the conversation was more interesting than what was happening on the screen.  
‘I don’t know whether I want to stay here or not. It sounds awful… I mean, I love being here with you two. But I can’t imagine living here forever. I need more green.’  
‘We know!’ laughed Finn, it was an ongoing concern of hers.  
Rey smiled, showing her dimples. ‘And I need a new purpose. I’ve been thinking about it a lot, what I’m going to do for the rest of my life. If I can do something that connects me with what Ben wants to do, then that would be perfect. But I don’t think it’s necessary,’ she went on, before they got worried again that she was basing her life purely around him. ‘He’s happy to fit in with what I want to do.’  
‘It’ll come,’ Rose said reassuringly, stroking her friend’s hair. ‘One day, the answer will be there and you’ll wonder why you never thought about it before.’ There was one obvious thing that Rose thought Rey would be perfect for, but she could see that Rey was still struggling with her identity as a Jedi.  
‘Ben said exactly the same thing,’ murmured Rey, taking another sip of her drink.  
‘Great minds think alike,’ grinned Rose.  
‘Ooh, Poe’s up,’ said Finn, diverting his attention back to the screen.  
A filmed recording of an obviously harassed-looking Poe meeting some dignitaries from the Anoat System came on, which prompted all of them to feel concerned about the state of their friend.  
‘Look at the bags under his eyes!’ remarked Rose, thinking that Poe looked terrible. 'He mustn't have got any sleep last night.’  
‘No, and he's got to go away tomorrow,' sighed Finn, feeling for his partner.  
‘Why, where’s he going?’ asked Rey.  
‘He’ll be travelling to some of the poorest parts of the galaxy,’ Finn explained, trying to keep his eyes on the screen before Poe disappeared, ‘to see what needs to be done.’ In the days of the Republic, Chancellors had mostly remained on Coruscant, hearing reports about the state of the galaxy rather than seeing it for themselves. Poe’s hands-on approach was one way in which he was trying to change that, hoping that a more visible Chancellor would help to push through some of his more radical reforms.  
‘I think it’s great,’ agreed Rose, as did Rey. ‘Most of the galaxy don’t even know who the Chancellor of the Republic is. I know I didn't when I was on Jakku. If Poe can make himself more visible, he’s bound to have more of an impact.’  
‘We can hope,’ agreed Finn. He was about to turn the news off, when the next report caught his eye.  
‘Tonight we’re going to end on a positive report from Coruscant,’ said the presenter, ‘a reason for celebration for anyone who’s ever been a victim of the high levels of crime on the city-planet. Today, two of the most prolific pickpockets in the city handed themselves into security after an experience that had them questioning their life choices…’  
Upon hearing this, Rey sat up, intrigued.  
‘…Zac Lightfinger, 46, and Erison Shang, 18, handed themselves in willingly after a bizarre encounter in the city with what they claimed to be two Jedi. Although the mystical warriors have been extinct now for over sixty years, Lightfinger and Shang are insistent that they were chased and attacked by a lightsaber wielding pair, an experience that frightened them enough to put an end to their life of crime. And it is a reason to celebrate. Between them, these two have racked up over 500 crimes and are wanted on over thirty planets. Security are now hoping that any citizens who witnessed the assault will come forward for questioning so they can get to the bottom of this mystery…’  
Finn and Rose both stared at Rey, who was staring at the screen, agog.  
‘A lightsaber-wielding pair?’ Finn stared at her, ‘Don’t tell me that was you and Ben?’  
Rey looked embarrassed, ‘It must have been.’  
‘Well, look at you two, saving the galaxy,’ he laughed, thinking it was hilarious. ‘Stopping criminals by helping them to question their life choices.’  
‘We didn’t have much to do with that,’ said Rey, unable to believe it. ‘At least I can’t think how.’  
‘Does it really matter?’ Rose said, delighted, ‘you must have done something.’  
They spent the rest of the evening talking and laughing, and by the time Rose and Finn went home, Rey was feeling much more positive than she had when they first arrived. That was the power of friendship. After tidying up, she went to bed feeling much better in herself. Although it had been hard, talking to Finn and Rose about her feelings had made it easier to understand them. Despite the difficulty of being apart, she reflected that Ben had been right, they had needed to be away from each other to figure out who they were and what they wanted to do in the future. And now, that separation, was finally paying off.


	16. Ben wakes up with a hangover and Rey decides what she needs to do

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After drinking too much the previous night, Ben has breakfast with Kyp and Rendol in their apartment. He tries caf for the first time. Kyp sees that he needs reassurance, and reminds him that he has plenty of people that he can talk to.
> 
> Back on Coruscant, Rey realises that she does want to start her own Jedi Order and she talks to Finn and Rose about her decision.

‘Gah!’ Ben woke up gasping for a drink, his throat dry and his head pounding. Trying to sit up, he rolled unceremoniously off the couch and onto the floor, forgetting where he was.  
‘Are you okay in there?’ came Kyp’s voice from another room, although from Ben’s perspective she might as well have been on another planet.  
‘No.’ Ben clutched at his head, wondering why, and how, it had got so painful. Images assaulted his mind, memories of talking, of loud music, of drinking… Ah, that was it. It would be the drink.  
‘Feeling a bit rough?’  
Ben looked up to see Kyp standing over him, a concerned expression on her face. ‘A bit would be an understatement.’  
Kyp smiled, ‘I think we all over-indulged last night. I’ll get you a caf.’  
He was about to say that he didn’t like caf but then he vaguely remembered that it was good at helping a hangover, or so his father had told him anyway. ‘Thanks.’  
Getting up from the floor, he went over to the kitchen where Kyp was preparing their drinks. The apartment she shared with Rendol was cosy and unassuming. There was a small living room with an old saggy couch, table and chairs, cluttered sideboard and large screen that dominated one of the walls. The kitchen was cramped but Kyp seemed to have found a place for everything. There was a sink at the far end, two cooking machines for different foods, and various sized cupboards that were crammed full of all kinds of packet food. Like most cities, fresh food was at a premium, and citizens tended to subsist on synthetic concoctions, then splurging on more natural foodstuffs when they went out to eat. Feeling lightheaded, Ben leaned against the counter, watching as Kyp prepared the caf. The familiar smell flooded his nostrils, reminding him of his Dad.  
‘Here you go,’ Kyp handed him the cup. ‘Are you okay?’ She thought his eyes looked moist.  
‘Yeah. The smell reminds me of Dad.’ He smiled faintly, ‘Mom always preferred tea, but Dad was definitely a caf drinker.’  
‘You miss them, don’t you?’ Kyp busied herself, getting some breakfast ready for herself, Ben and Rendol.  
He nodded, wiping his eyes. ‘I don’t feel like I ever got to know them properly.’  
‘But there’s plenty of people who do?’  
‘Yeah, there is. I need to go and see Lando again, he’s always got some good stories.’ He sighed, wondering how he might tackle something that worried him about the previous night. ‘Look I’m sorry if I said too much last night…’  
‘It’s fine, Ben,’ said Kyp kindly, reaching over to put her hand on his arm. ‘You needed to talk. And don’t worry,’ she added, seeing his expression, ‘I promise I won’t tell anyone. Not Rendol. Not Rey…’  
‘Definitely not Rey,’ said Ben quickly.  
Drinking her caf, Kyp regarded him for a moment, her heart filled with tenderness for the lonely, broken young man. What he had shared with her over drinks had shocked her to the core. He had gone into detail about how Snoke had manipulated and abused him, which made her realise how he had effectively been prevented from growing up or expressing himself in a healthy way. How Snoke’s focus on his anger and his hate had kept him in a perpetual temper tantrum, the only way in which he was allowed to express his feelings was through destruction, like an overgrown toddler. Overlain on top of his Jedi training, which had sought to deny all feelings, it had corrupted and mangled his sensitive soul, effectively creating a monster. Although Kyp knew that Snoke had got to him, she had not known how deep the scars were and it made her realise why Ben was so desperate for affection. For a family to replace the one that he felt he had been denied when he was growing up.  
One of the machines bleeped, and Kyp turned her attention back to it. ‘Ooh, pancakes are ready.’ She pointed over to one of the cupboards, ‘Can you get me three plates down please?’  
‘Sure.’  
‘You know, Ben,’ said Kyp as he put the plates down on the counter next to her. ‘You’re welcome to stay a few more days if you like.’  
‘That’s very kind of you,’ he smiled, the caf finally working on the pain in his head, reducing it to a dull throb. ‘But I need to get back. This thing I’m working on won’t finish itself.’  
‘I guess not.’ Distributing the pancakes evenly between the three plates, Kyp asked Ben to bring the syrup and utensils into the living room. Glad to have something to do to take his mind off his hangover, Ben readily obliged and brought them into the living area. By now, Rendol was awake and dressed, and he was sat at the table, reading a data-pad.  
Hearing Ben come in, he looked up. ‘You look rough.’  
‘I feel rough,’ he grumbled, taking a seat next to him. ‘Don’t let me ever drink that much again!’  
‘Heh, that’s what we all say,’ laughed Rendol, making way for his plate of pancakes. ‘Thanks, babe, you should have let me do that,’ he said to Kyp.  
‘Then we never would have eaten,’ frowned Kyp. ‘More caf?’  
‘Yes please,’ said Ben.  
‘You sit down, I’ll get the caf,’ Rendol insisted, pulling a chair out for his wife to sit down.  
‘Make mine a strong one, please,’ she called after him as he disappeared into the kitchen. She grinned at Ben, ‘You’re not the only one feeling rough!’  
‘Are you going into the office this morning?’ Ben started tucking into his pancakes after liberally dousing them in syrup.  
‘Unfortunately yes.’  
‘I’ll come with you,’ said Ben, ‘I left the TIE over that way.’ It was still his main ship, although he had altered the paintwork to make it look less like something that had once belonged to the First Order. Failing that, its stealth capability meant that he could stay under the radar very effectively.  
After a couple more cups of caf, Ben and Kyp felt ready to face the world outside. Leaving the apartment building, they walked down the busy street towards Kyp’s office, which was about six blocks away. On the way, Kyp asked Ben about where he was headed after his current project, but he was uncertain. ‘I need to find out what Rey’s doing first,’ was all he would say, and Kyp left it at that.  
‘You know you’re always welcome here,’ she said just before he left her, as they stood outside Kyp’s office on the busy street. The sounds of the city continued around them, the chatter of citizens, the hum of the skyways. ‘The kids always love to see you.’  
‘Are you sure it’s not just the lightsaber?’ he joked, but he knew what she meant. There was always a crowd of happy faces when Kyp took him to see the young people she was looking after. Whilst he knew that his story gave them hope that someone could return from the dark side and be given a second chance, it had shaken any belief he might have had in the Force as a positive force for good. There seemed to be no intelligence in its choices, no hidden meaning in its designs, only chaos. Its decisions were arbitrary. Most of the children he met, through no fault of their own, had fallen into terrible circumstances, from losing their families, to being born into poverty, or forced into exploitation. All of them had been denied love, a family, belonging. And he could not understand why.  
‘Yes,’ said Kyp, ‘I’m quite sure.’  
‘I will come back soon. I promise,’ Ben replied. It was probably still the effect of the hangover but he felt weepy. ‘And hopefully, next time I can bring Rey with me.’  
‘You’ll get there,’ said Kyp, pulling him close, ‘I know you will. Because if I know Rey, she wants it too.’

The next few months for Rey became a whirlwind of activity as she thought more and more about what she wanted to do with her life after she finished her project at the Temple. Uppermost in her mind were her plans for reviving the Jedi Order, and in the evenings after work she pored over the ancient texts, searching for inspiration and ideas. As she had intimated to Ben, critical to its success would be a solid reason as to why the Jedi were needed, as well as a strong, underlying philosophy that would shape her approach. In her mind that meant abandoning the rigid doctrines that had come to define the Jedi Order in the late Republic era, and return to its origins. Whilst the Jedi Order had changed and evolved across its thousands of years of history, the core ideals had always been the same; compassion, protection, defence, peace, knowledge, and justice. Based on her own experiences, the most important ideal for Rey was compassion, to help those who were blighted by pain and suffering, or labouring under the demands and exploitation of others. Her experiences also underlined to her the importance of better understanding the relationship between the light and the dark, to see them both as part of the Force rather than denying that the darkness existed, was inevitably corrupting, or was confined to the Sith’s understand of the Force.  
These ideas nagged away at her until she could barely think about anything else. It made so much sense to her, as one of the last remaining Jedi, that it was her responsibility - and Ben’s too, if he accepted it - to train the next generation of Force users in ways that would restore them as a beacon of light and hope, as a counter to the chaos, cruelty and unpredictability of life. To use their abilities and strength in the Force to help make the galaxy a better place, just as Poe was trying to do in the Senate, and Finn, Rose and Ben were trying to do through their various projects. It might not be possible within her lifetime to restore the Order to its former reach and influence, but at the very least she could lay the foundations for what she hoped would be the beginnings of another thousand years of history.   
The process helped her to reflect on her own place in the Force, as well as the experiences and abilities that she could bring to the role of mentor. The Force had called to her, changing and shaping her destiny. Rightly or wrongly, it had bestowed upon her the task of healing the Skywalker family - of righting the wrongs that had begun with Snoke’s manipulations, and Ben and Luke’s broken relationship - and then, together with Ben, healing the galaxy from the taint of the Shadow. She had made many mistakes along the way, but as Luke had reassured her, it was those mistakes that helped her to grow as a person, as well as a Jedi.  
More weeks passed, and by the time her project at the Temple came to an end, Rey had a much firmer sense of where life might take her. Although she continued to enjoy her life on Coruscant, and being with her friends, she knew that she was getting restless. Like she had said to Ben, she wanted to travel, to see more of the galaxy, and find a suitable place where she could begin to put her ideas about the Jedi into practice. When she told this to Finn and Rose over dinner one evening, they were pleased that she had come to a firm decision about her future, a decision that, as they revealed to her, they had expected her to make all along.  
‘So it’s not a surprise to you, then?’ frowned Rey, annoyed that her epiphany had fallen flat.  
‘Not at all,’ shrugged Finn apologetically, trying not to laugh at her petulant expression. ‘It’s what we thought you would do ever since you left the medical centre.’  
‘Then why couldn’t I see it?’  
‘Because it’s a massive responsibility,’ said Rose patiently. ‘You’ll be training the next generation of Jedi. Like this dummy here! Who ever decided that he should be let loose with a lightsaber?’  
‘It was the Force actually,’ scoffed Finn, ‘just because you’re jealous you’re not Force sensitive…’  
‘Ha! You think I want that?’ Rose shook her head vehemently, ‘No way. I’d rather be me, boring and normal.’  
‘But you’re not boring or normal,’ said Rey, trying to make her feel better.  
‘Heh, Rey said that you’re not normal,’ Finn teased her.  
But Rose ignored him. ‘I don’t blame you for being anxious,’ she said to Rey, ‘you saw what happened to Luke…’  
‘Yes.’  
‘… and you have to be certain that you’re not making the same mistake that he made.’  
‘Especially when the Force connected you to Luke’s mistake,’ Finn pointed out, meaning Ben. ‘We didn’t know whether his experience would put you off or make you more determined not to repeat it.’   
‘You two know me so well, don’t you?’ wondered Rey, taking a bite of her food. The canteen was busy as usual, the lively chatter and clattering in the kitchen forming a vivid backdrop to their meal. Rey, however, was getting better at blocking out such distractions.  
‘We do,’ agreed Finn, glancing at Rose. ‘So when are you going to learn that all you need to do is listen to us?’  
‘No chance.’ Rey stuck her tongue out at him. Taking another bite, she chewed her food around her mouth for a moment. ‘I just wish I felt I was doing the right thing a bit more.’  
‘It’ll come,’ said Rose, smiling at her, seeing that she needed lots of reassurance. ‘You’ve got a chance to decide where to take the Jedi Order. To improve it. You’ll always regret it if you don’t take the opportunity.’  
‘You’re right. The more I think about, the more I realise I should do it,’ agreed Rey, putting her fork down again. ‘I know where the Order went wrong, I know where Luke went wrong. They lost sight of their purpose and let fear frame their perspective, instead of compassion. I’m not saying that I won’t make mistakes too, but at least I have a good sense of what I shouldn’t be doing from the beginning.’  
Finn smiled playfully, ‘But you need to be careful with these Skywalkers around, clouding your judgement.’  
‘Well,’ conceded Rey, ‘there will be one. But he’s only half Skywalker and he’s far less trouble than you think.’  
‘I’ll take your word for it. But go and talk to Poe,’ Finn suggested, ‘see what he thinks. I know he’ll support you in any way he can.’  
‘But how?’ frowned Rey, ‘if you can’t even see him, I’ve not no chance!’  
‘Just make an appointment like everyone else,’ laughed Finn, ‘including me. We don’t get any special treatment.’  
‘Okay.’ Picking up her drink, Rey took a long sip whilst Rose and Finn looked at each other happily, seeing that Rey was closer than ever to finally working out what she needed to do. ‘It might take his mind off worrying that I’m going to be hanging around Coruscant soon with nothing to do.’  
That night she made her resolution. She would go and speak to Poe, then she would make firmer plans for her future.


	17. Rey's journey

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey goes to see Poe about her plan to revive the Jedi Order and receives his blessing and offers of help. He is keen for her to use the temple on Coruscant, but she admits that she is thinking of a much smaller building at first. Her plan is to explore several planets, to see which might be the best location for her training temple, starting with Takodana. She finds out that Ben has been helping Poe with one of his projects to break the power of the crime syndicates, which Rose and Finn are also working on. She spends the evening with her friends before heading off in the Falcon with BB8.

It had taken Rey months to make an appointment to see Poe. Much to her frustration, it had been cancelled several times because of some crisis in the Senate or other, before the day finally arrived when she could make her way up in the elevator to the Chancellor’s Office. Despite her history with Poe, she felt nervous, wondering what he would make of her idea to train the next generation of Jedi. Finn, of course, had laid some of the groundwork, but she knew that he would have plenty of other things on his mind during his time with Poe, as he should.  
Smoothing down her tunic, she left the elevator and walked past the security guards to the lobby outside of Poe’s office. They looked at her briefly, but made no attempt to speak to her or check her credentials considering that she had already got this far. Security was already extremely tight in the entrance lobby after another series of attacks on the Senate building, led by a group that wanted to restore the Empire. The front of the building was covered in graffiti proclaiming the end of the Republic, and Rey felt sorry for the people who had to spend the day cleaning it off.  
She was about to take a seat when the door opened and Saran, Poe’s aide, popped his head out, ‘Hello Rey. You can come in now.’  
‘Thank you.’ Getting up, she was pleased that she did not have to wait long, already her anxiety levels were considerable and she breathed deeply to calm herself.  
‘Rey! Good to see you.’  
As soon as she walked in, Poe was coming towards her, his arms open wide in welcome. ‘I can’t believe how long it’s been!’  
‘Too long,’ she said, embracing him warmly. Even though he had been Chancellor now for almost three years, she would never forget Poe the hotshot pilot and adventurer that she had liked to bicker with. She liked to think that this man was still there, underneath the gravity and seriousness that he brought to his position.  
‘I’m sorry about all the other times we’ve had to cancel, it must have been so frustrating.’ Poe held Rey at arm’s length, closely checking her over. ‘You’ve only gone and got more beautiful,’ he grinned, ‘when did that happen?’  
‘Enough of the flattery,’ she laughed, allowing him to lead her over to the armchairs that were arranged beside the window, perfect for more intimate chats rather than the more formal meetings that took up so much of Poe’s time. On the table there was already a tray of refreshments, the ubiquitous tea and caf, and a plate of fancy biscuits that caught Rey’s eye immediately. ‘But I have to say that you look good too.’  
‘Sleep, that’s what makes all the difference,’ grinned Poe, taking a seat opposite her. ‘All these people who believe that surgery and bizarre creams keep them young when all you need to do is make sure you get the same number of hours sleep each night. It’s simple.’ He leaned over the tray, ‘Tea?’  
‘Yes please.’ It seemed odd that the Chancellor of the Republic was pouring her a cup of tea, but it was good to see that Poe had remained grounded. He had not allowed the significance of his position to go to his head. Not completely anyway. Finn was always laughing about Poe’s attempts to inject some humour within his speeches, which was always a bit hit and miss.  
‘So, you’ve finished your Temple project,’ said Poe, leaning back in his chair. ‘It was interesting to read the report.’  
‘You read it?’ Rey was surprised, she’d assumed that he wouldn’t have time to keep up with that she was doing.  
‘Yes of course,’ said Poe, laughing to himself, ‘I can be interested in what my friends are doing, even if I don’t get to see you as much as I’d like.’  
‘I guess so.’ She took a sip of her tea.   
‘So are you going to tell me about it?’ asked Poe, seeing that Rey was nervous. He wondered how he might put her at ease. ‘Biscuit?’  
‘Thanks.’ Rey thought for a moment, ‘Er, we finished putting all the data onto the network, and now it’s fully searchable. We’ve been testing it with a few keywords and it works really well. And it’s not just about the Jedi Order, there’s information about planets, cultures, all the different species…’  
‘The restored Jedi archive really will be a tremendous asset to the galaxy.’ He looked at her thoughtfully, ‘Is what you’re going to talk to me about connected to that?’  
‘Sort of…’  
‘You haven’t decided to become the new Temple custodian have you?’  
‘About that.’ She took a deep breath, ‘I’m tremendously honoured that you’ve asked me to do it but…’  
‘You don’t want to take it on?’ Poe had already guessed what she was going to say. Finn had hinted as much, and her continual fudging of his invitation was an even bigger sign.  
‘No. I think Pieta and Kassype will be more than suited to the task than me,’ Rey explained, pleased to see that Poe was not absolutely horrified by the idea. ‘They’re both ambitious, dedicated, and interested in restoring the Jedi Temple. And they want to stay on Coruscant.’  
‘And you don’t?’ That was news to Poe.  
‘Not especially,’ she admitted, still feeling bad that it seemed she was rejecting the opportunities that he had given to her. ‘I love being with Rose and Finn, and I’m very grateful for everything you’ve given me. Only…’  
‘Only, you don’t see it as your home?’ When Rey nodded, Poe smiled. ‘I can understand that. It’s not exactly the place I’d want to call home either, but it is what it is. And you’ve every right to want to go where your heart takes you.’  
Rey frowned slightly, sensing that there was an underlying meaning to Poe’s words that she could not entirely grasp. ‘So, you’ll consider Pieta and Kassype?’  
‘Hmm.’ Poe mulled the idea over in his head. ‘I will. You know what, it’s not a bad idea. And I was wondering what I was going to do with them both now that the project’s finished.’ Leaning forwards, he took another biscuit. ‘Thank you, Rey, I’ll have a chat with them as soon as I can.’ Making a note on his data-pad, Poe sat back in his chair, ‘Right. so tell me what you do want to do.’  
‘I want to train the next generation of Jedi,’ said Rey, expecting that it wouldn’t come as a huge surprise. ‘I’ve been thinking a lot about why it would be useful to revive the Order.’  
‘Go on.’ Poe listened closely, intrigued by what she had to say.  
Encouraged by his support, Rey launched into her main idea. ’I, um, imagine a small group of compassionate Jedi, separate from but supportive of the Republic. They’d be trained in traditional skills such as how to use a lightsaber, but the main emphasis would be on helping others.’  
‘Helping others?’  
‘Yes, anyone who needs it. Those who are exploited by others, in pain, or suffering. I see them as a beacon of light and hope against the darkness, to keep the balance. To bring purpose and meaning to those who have none, as well as find it for themselves.’  
‘And would they be based in one place?’  
‘To start with,’ agreed Rey, ‘they’d need to have a base somewhere. But they’d be travelling to where they are needed the most.’ Taking a sip of her tea, she went on, ‘I also want to help those who are strong in the Force but who don’t necessarily want to train as a Jedi. To spend time with them, helping them to find out what they are capable of and how it might help them in their lives.’  
‘I can get behind that,’ said Poe, impressed by the clarity of her idea. ‘You’ve clearly thought about it carefully. And it gives you purpose and meaning too. From what Finn tells me, you’re not keen on being involved in the minutiae of government.’  
‘You’re right,’ smiled Rey, knowing that she could be honest with Poe. ‘Spending time with Rose and Finn has been important to me, and it’s helped me get over the worst of what happened during the war. But…’  
‘I know what you mean,’ agreed Poe readily, ‘its noisy, smelly, and the hierarchy here is stifling. But it’s not something we can change quickly, it’s taken thousands of years to get like this. At least you’ve got a blank sheet to start from.’  
‘It’s not entirely blank,’ Rey pointed out, ‘now that we’ve got the Jedi Archive.’  
‘Of course. Tell me then, Rey, what do you want to do?’  
Rey outlined her initial plan, the need to find a suitable site for a temple or training centre, somewhere green and beautiful, although not too isolated, where she could begin to put her ideas into practice with a limited number of students. ‘It’s got to be somewhere I can think and work too,’ she went on, ‘there’s things I need to better understand like how we can resist the pull of the darkness, and if we can use natural impulses such as anger and fear for good. Whether we need to train Jedi from a young age, or if we can learn just as effectively as adults, like me and Finn have tried to do. I also wonder if the idea of what a Jedi is can be a more flexible one, something that can be made personal for each student depending on their strength and ability. Not forcing everyone to follow the same, defined path.’  
‘I can help you in any way you need,’ smiled Poe, marvelling at the young woman in front of him. Rey never gave much away, but for once he could see how her ideas about the Jedi had been shaped by her own experiences and journey. ‘Whether you need me to speak to anyone, or provide you with resources, I’ll get onto it. Because you’re right, the development of a Jedi Order that would support and augment the work that we are doing across the galaxy would be enormously valuable.’  
Rey smiled, seeing that Poe was thinking pragmatically as always. ‘That’s what I was hoping.’  
‘And don’t forget that the Temple here is empty. I know it’s going to take a long time to restore it, but I can make sure that we speed up the process if you ever wanted to use it.’  
Rey laughed, ‘I need to find some students first! And I don’t think I’ll ever have enough to fill those huge halls.’  
‘Will Finn be one of them?’  
‘I hope so,’ answered Rey, taking another biscuit when Poe offered the plate to her. ‘If you can bear to let him go?’  
Poe laughed, ‘I hardly see him as it is. But of course, it would be his choice.’ He paused for a moment before asking, ‘What about Ben?’  
‘What about him?’ Rey’s defences suddenly came up, not sure if she could confide in Poe considering that Ben was still technically an escaped criminal.  
‘Would you involve him?’ When Rey looked reluctant to answer, he said reassuringly. ‘I’m asking this as a friend, not as the Chancellor of the Republic.’  
‘He said he’d help me in any way that he could,’ said Rey, allowing herself to relax. ‘But I don’t know how well my plans will fit in with his. I mean, some of my ideas about the Jedi have come from what I know about his experiences. Travelling around helping people. He’s found meaning for himself by doing that, although I don’t think he’ll ever feel that he’s done enough to atone for the past. But it’s that way of being I think the Jedi should emulate.’   
‘That’s interesting…’  
‘Ben even thought that the Jedi might have been like that once,’ Rey continued, lost in her train of thought, ‘wandering from planet to planet, not having a permanent base. I’d like to think that we’d be honouring the old ways, as well as starting anew.’  
‘Sounds good.’ Poe leaned over to take another biscuit. ‘I don’t know exactly what Ben’s been up to, but by all accounts he’s been busy. He’s certainly been useful for me. If it hadn’t been for him getting in contact with me…’  
‘What?’ asked Rey in a small, surprised voice. She didn’t know Poe and Ben had been in touch with each other. ‘Ben got in contact with you?’  
‘Yeah. Just before you came back from Ahch-To. I thought Finn told you?’  
‘No, he didn’t.’ Her mood changed abruptly, surprised that Finn had not thought to tell her. ‘But you didn’t tell me either,’ she grumbled.  
‘If I’m honest it slipped my mind,’ admitted Poe, although he was certain that he had told Finn to mention it. On the other hand, ‘I’m sorry Rey, I should have told you.’  
‘It’s okay.’ It didn’t make much different really, now that she had seen Ben for herself. Instead, she tried to focus on the positives. ‘What’s he been helping you with?’  
‘Oh, a few things. He suggested some ways that we might keep the Overseer’s busy, but he’s mainly been helping me with my plan to try and break the crime syndicates. He’s given me the names of several contacts and been trying to infiltrate some of the organisations that we think are a front for some of the more ruthless syndicates. But it’s early days yet.’  
‘But he’s putting himself into danger,’ protested Rey, not sure whether to be impressed or worried by Ben’s undercover exploits.  
‘Yes but he knows the risks are.’  
‘I suppose he would,’ she murmured to herself. It would be just like Ben to put himself into danger on purpose. ‘You don’t know where he is, do you?’ Rey almost didn’t want to ask. If Poe knew, she thought it might tip her over the edge.  
‘No. Technically, he’s still wanted by the Senate. Look, I know it’s been difficult with Ben,’ Poe said, watching her carefully, ‘but I should think after a few more years, their interest in punishing the First Order will start to wane. Besides, apart from a few of us, not many know that Ben and Kylo Ren are one and the same.’  
‘Good I’m hoping that will be the case. Because Ben’s um… he’s asked me to marry him and I don’t want to have to go into hiding with him.’  
‘He has?’ Poe’s eyes opened wide. ‘Oh Rey, that is good news! Congratulations!’ Leaning forward, he took her hands in his. ‘So that means you plan on, er, living together?’  
‘At some point,’ nodded Rey, pleased to see that Poe had responded so enthusiastically to her news. ‘I’m hoping that he’ll want to help me with my plans.’  
Their conversation turned back to Rey’s need to find a suitable location for her training base. Poe suggested either Takodana or Naboo might be suitable, and Rey was surprised that she had not thought about either of them before. ‘I’ll definitely put those on my list.’  
‘Make sure you go and see Maz,’ said Poe, finishing off the remainder of his tea. ‘The last time I heard from her, she was rebuilding her castle. She’d be very pleased to see you.’  
‘I will.’ It had been a long time she see had seen Maz or gone back to the place where Anakin’s lightsaber had first called her to adventure. There were so many memories there.  
Poe’s comlink started buzzing, and he glanced at it in annoyance. ‘I’m sorry, Rey, this is my early call for my next meeting.’   
‘Thats okay,’ she said graciously, aware that she had already taken up enough of his time. Getting to her feet, she held out her hands. ‘Thank you for listening to me. And for your advice.’  
‘Oh, it’s far less than you deserve,’ smiled Poe, taking her hands in his. ‘But you know about my feelings towards the Force. That’s your’s, and Finn’s, department!’  
‘But you’ve helped me to put some things into better perspective.’  
‘I’m glad, and I’m very pleased that we had this chat, Rey. I look forward to hearing more about your plans in due time.’ Letting go of her hands, he held his arms open and pulled her into a close embrace, holding her for a long time. ‘I know it’s impossible to see each other as much as I’d like,’ he said softly, ‘but please don’t stop trying.’  
‘I won’t,’ she hugged him back fiercely, squeezing her eyes shut to stop the tears from slipping out. She wasn’t as close to Poe as she was to Finn and Rose, but he had always been a loyal friend, as well as an inspiring leader.  
Letting her go, Poe asked her if she would like to take BB8 with her on her journey. ‘He’s getting bored, stuck here on Coruscant. To be honest, there isn’t much for him to do. He’s just been hanging around with Threepio and Artoo.’  
Rey nodded, ‘I’d love that.’  
‘Great, I’ll have him delivered to your apartment later today.’ Already his comlink was bleeping again. ‘I better go.’  
‘Of course,’ said Rey, leaning forward and kissing Poe on the cheek. ‘Goodbye, Poe.’  
‘Goodbye, Rey, and don’t forget to stay in touch.’ He waved as she made her way out of the office.  
Outside, Finn and Rose were waiting for her in the atrium. ‘How did it go?’  
‘Good,’ said Rey, linking arms with both of them as they made their way over to the elevators, past the silent security guards and the busts of former Chancellors. ‘He seems to like my plan, and he said he’d help me as much as he can.’  
‘Like all of us, he wants you to be happy,’ said Finn, warmly.  
‘Is that right?’ Rey couldn’t help feeling sore, ‘Then why didn’t you tell me that Ben had been in touch with Poe?’   
‘Oh, er, about that,’ said Finn, unable to remember why he hadn’t told her. ‘I guess I forgot. Then you said you’d been in touch with him anyway, and it seemed less important.’  
‘But he’s been working with Poe!’  
‘I know, I know. I’m sorry,’ Finn looked embarrassed, whilst Rose stayed silent, ‘I’m sure Poe told me not to tell you because he thought it would be too upsetting…’  
‘Oh, it doesn’t matter,’ said Rey, going inside the elevator when the doors opened. ‘It doesn’t make much difference. I still don’t know where he is.’  
They headed out for lunch, deciding to go to Rey’s favourite cafe, Merko’s. Settled in the garden, Finn and Rose filled Rey in on what had been happening, whilst she told them of her plans to go to Takodana first, then see where the whim took her after that.  
‘You mean - you haven’t planned out your trip in minute detail?’ teased Finn, ‘Rey, I’m surprised at you.’  
‘You know me!’ she smiled, sipping her drink. ‘I like to take things as they come.’  
‘We do,’ said Rose, although she also knew that Rey had been spending weeks on developing the wider plans for the new Jedi Order she envisioned. ‘And we wouldn’t want you to change. Oh, and make sure you include Cloud City on your travels. Remember, Jannah invited us all over…?’  
‘For cocktails on the balcony!’   
‘Hey, you remembered,’ said Rose brightly. ‘I know she’d love to see you. And Finn and I have been talking about going now for ages, haven’t we, Finn?’  
‘We have!’  
‘We’ll have to try and visit at the same time.’  
‘That would be nice.’   
‘Are you taking the Falcon?’ asked Finn, picking at his food.  
‘Yes, and Poe’s given me BB8. So I won’t be alone.’  
‘Good.’ Rose took a bite to eat and glanced at Finn, who only shrugged at her. ’What about Ben?’  
‘What about him?’ Rey suddenly became much more interested in her meal.  
‘I thought you wanted to find him,’ Rose persisted.  
‘I don’t know if he wants to be found,’ sighed Rey, looking over at Finn. ’especially if my friends are going to sabotage all my attempts at…’  
‘Look, I’m sorry,’ interjected Finn, still embarrassed about his oversight. ‘I was a… little bit drunk when Poe told me. Okay, I was a lot drunk. Then when you said that you’d seen Ben, I assumed he’d told you that he’d been in touch with Poe.’  
‘Don’t worry, I’m annoyed with Ben too,’ Rey pointed out. ‘It’s not just you two.’  
‘Right, that’s okay then,’ laughed Finn, looking over at Rose, who was shaking her head. ‘What’s wrong with you?’  
‘I don’t know who’s more incompetent,’ she opined, winking at Rey, ‘Solo, Dameron or Danu?’  
‘It’s a good thing that we’re here to sort them out, isn’t it,’ agreed Rey, looking mischievously at Finn.  
‘Hey! Who freed Coruscant?’  
‘You, Rose and Jannah…’  
‘And Poe…’  
‘Then he went and got himself shot!’  
‘He didn’t know Hux was awol…’  
‘Because someone forgot to tell him…’  
‘Okay, okay, dummies,’ laughed Rose, ‘that’s enough bickering. ‘I’m ready for my pudding and neither of you have even finished yet!’  
‘Sorry,’ said Finn, knuckling down to finish the rest of his food.  
‘Sorry,’ said Rey, surprised to see that Rose had managed to finish before her, how had that happened?  
Desserts ordered, talk turned to what Finn and Rose were going to do once their Reunite programme was wound up. It had taken a few years but they had finally traced every single stormtrooper and officer that had been taken from their parents, and either matched up those who wanted to be reunited with their birth families, or delivered the news to the family that their child was gone. It had taken them both all over the galaxy, into the homes of many different families; made them a witness of emotions on a range of spectrums from great joy to misery and heartbreak. At times it had been relentlessly tough, bringing back bad memories of their own losses in the war, the loss of family, friends and mentors. But it had been more than worthwhile for Rose and Finn, knowing that they had done something, however small, to rectify a huge wrong at the heart of the galaxy.   
‘Poe’s asked us to help him with his project to break into the criminal syndicates,’ said Rose, smiling at the waiting staff as they arrived with their three puddings. ‘Thank you.’  
‘He has?’ Rey looked at them both with concern, ‘You know how dangerous this project’s gonna be, right?’  
‘Yes,’ said Finn, ‘that’s why we agreed to help him.’  
‘He’s gonna need all the help he can get,’ nodded Rose.  
Rey was concerned all the more considering how unperturbed they both seemed. ‘I don’t think you do know,’ she frowned, too upset to even try her food. ‘I know about the syndicates from Jakku. They’re literally independent militias, involved in slavery, smuggling, piracy… you name it! Their hold on the galaxy runs far deeper than the Empire or the First Order…’  
‘We know,’ said Rose patiently, wondering what was up with Rey. It was unlike her to be so anxious about something. ‘That’s why there needs to be a concerted effort to try and curb their power.’  
‘I can see that,’ said Rey, ‘and I think it’s a noble idea. But… it’s just that everyone who gets involved with the Syndicates gets a death mark put on their heads. It’ll follow you around your entire life…’  
‘It’s alright,’ said Finn, thinking that her deep concern for them both was touching. ‘We’re not going to be on the ground, not unless Poe knows that we’ll be safe.’  
‘And it’s such early days yet,’ said Rose reassuringly, reaching out and patting Rey on the hand. ‘Most of the first few years will be paperwork, looking at the history, that sort of thing.’  
‘Oh, okay.’ Rey felt a little silly for being so over the top, and she turned her attention back to her dessert. ‘I guess it’s all very top secret, too.’  
‘It is,’ nodded Finn, ‘in fact we shouldn’t really be talking about it. But… you know Ben’s been helping Poe too, don’t you.’  
‘Yes, Poe did tell me.’ It didn’t make her feel any better.  
With the mention of Ben, the discussion went back to whether or not she was going to try and look for Ben on her travels. Rey admitted that she had thought about it, but she wasn’t going to focus on him. ‘He’s busy doing his own thing, as you know. And in many ways, it might be for the best especially after what happened the last time…’  
‘You mean what happened in…?’ Finn couldn’t help reminding Rey of her least finest moment.  
‘Yeah, that,’ Rey grimaced, brushing over it quickly. ‘I need to find somewhere for my new base before I do anything else. As much as I love being here with you guys, I don’t find Coruscant very inspiring.’  
‘I dunno, I’m getting quite fond of it,’ said Finn. ‘We’ve found some good places for eating, some good places for dancing… it’s not that bad.’  
‘No it’s not that bad,’ conceded Rey, ‘and I do like it here. It’s just… I always feel like the city’s competing with the Force. I can’t ever completely tune it out.’  
‘But the city is part of the Force too,’ Finn pointed out.  
‘I know.’ Rey felt frustrated, not sure she could get her meaning across to them both, ‘It’s just that I don’t want the city to be uppermost in my mind when I’m trying to tap into the Force. But it always is. There’s too many people here, too many emotions…’  
‘Too many distractions!’ said Rose and Finn together, already anticipating what she was going to say.  
‘And those,’ said Rey with a smile. With Rose and Finn around, she knew that she would never get too big for her boots, they would always keep her down on the ground.  
‘We know why you need to go,’ said Finn, thinking that they had teased Rey enough. ‘And we know why you want to find Ben. I don’t know how you’ve lasted this long, really,’ he went on, taking another mouthful of pudding, ‘if Poe had been away for this long, I’d be in pieces!’  
’Then you should listen to your Jedi training a bit more,’ it was Rey’s turn to tease Finn. ’The life of a Jedi is one of acceptance, not possession or control. Like I had to accept a long time ago that I couldn’t get rid of Ben even if I wanted to…’  
‘Oh dear,’ said Rose, ‘it’s not that bad is it?’  
‘I thought you were supposed to be in love with his guy?’ commented Finn.  
‘No, I don’t mean it that way I mean… Ben is… Ben is Ben,’ she said, realising that she was getting her point across really badly. ‘I can’t change him anymore than I can change you or Finn, and neither do I want to. Okay, some of his habits grind my gears, especially all this secrecy about what he’s been doing, but… I have to trust that he knows what he’s doing. So, what I mean to say is that I don’t really have to go out and find him, because at some point, the Force will bring us back together. And it will be the right time.’  
It was a very long-winded way of Rey saying that she would let the Force determine some aspects of her life, at the same time as focusing on those parts that she could control.  
Rose nodded, ‘But I can understand why Ben might want to keep what he’s doing secret. I guess he’s ashamed, not about about what he’s having to do to atone for the past but the fact that he has to do it for that reason. I would want to keep it to myself too, just in case it’s never enough. Or others see it as trivial.’  
‘That’s true,’ sighed Rey, realising that Rose was right. Ben had already hinted that no amount of helping others would ever repair the damage he had done to the galaxy when he had been under the cloud of the dark side. ‘Hopefully he’ll find some peace within himself one day, I think that’s the most he can hope for.’   
‘I’m amazed we’re all still here,’ said Rose, feeling tearful all of a sudden. ‘We’ve been through so much, all of us.’  
‘We have.’ Finn put down his spoon. ‘We’ve lost friends, family, mentors. But we’ve made a life for ourselves too.’ He smiled, ‘And now we can look to the future with hope, to shape our lives in the way that we want them to be. To help those that need the most help…’  
‘And to believe that we can make a change,’ added Rose, wiping her eyes.  
‘For the better,’ finished Rey.  
‘To the future!’ They raised their glasses to everyone who had been lost during the war with the First Order; to Han, Leia, Luke and Chewbacca, to Paige, Prue, Cammie, MC, Tallie, Ackbar and Holdo, and everyone else who had gone. They wished for hope and for a new future, one of peace and time with loved ones.  
That evening, after saying goodbye to Finn and Rose, Rey prepared for her journey. BB8 had been sent over by Poe and he was wheeling around her apartment curiously, firing questions at her whilst she packed her bag. Poe had promised to keep the apartment free for her, although she was not sure that it was necessary. Her few belongings were going with her, easily stored in the Falcon’s extensive storage compartments.   
‘We’re going to Takodana first,’ she said in response to the droid’s question, putting the last of her clothes into the bag, then zipping it up. ‘I thought we’d go and see how Maz is getting on.’  
BB8 bleeped curiously.  
‘I don’t know after that,’ Rey admitted, picking the bag up from the bed and putting it down on the floor next to the others. ‘We’ll play it by ear, shall we?’

Sitting in the Falcon after a restless night, Rey looked at the compass that had once belonged to Luke. In the end, she hadn’t needed to use it to find Ben, their connection had been strong enough to reunite them, just as it should be. But she thought it still might be useful, and she placed it on the console in front of her.  
There was a noise behind her, and she turned to see BB8 entering the cockpit.   
‘Ready to go?’ she asked the little droid.  
BB8 made some comment about how desperate he was to get off Coruscant, and Rey laughed.  
‘You and me both. I can’t wait to see trees again.’ Pushing the levers forward, she felt the powerful engines humming beneath her as the freighter slowly, and surprisingly gracefully, lifted into the air. It had taken a long time to repair it following the damage done to it on Naboo, but with the best mechanics on Coruscant helping her (at Poe’s insistence), it was impossible to know where the new parts started and the older parts began. Tenderly, she ran her hand over the console, thinking of the ship’s long, and eventful history, pleased that it was now part of her present, and hopefully, for a long time into her future.  
Down below, over the edge of the landing platform, she could see groups of citizens as they went about their daily lives, and, above them, the skyways were as busy as ever. Somewhere, Rose and Finn would be chatting and arguing as they got on with their work, and Poe would be running late for another meeting, much to his assistant’s chagrin. It was the life she had come to be a part of, and lived happily in for three years now. But it was time for another adventure, one that would bring her closer to the purpose that she had always been seeking for.  
As the Falcon blasted away from the hangar and up into the atmosphere, she glanced over at the empty chair beside her. She had thought about looking for a co-pilot, someone who could help her with repairs if need be. But on reflection, there was only one person she wanted to see in the chair beside her. Her heart swelled, thinking of Ben, hoping that it would not be long until she could be with him. But first she had her own journey to take.  
From behind her, BB8 beeped.  
‘I was just thinking about who my co-pilot might be.’ When the droid started beeping furiously, Rey laughed. ‘I know, I know BB8. You’re my co-pilot now. I didn’t mean that. I meant someone who has more right to this ship than I have.’ Even if he thinks it’s a piece of junk.  
BB8 hazarded a guess as to who it might be.  
‘Yes, that’s right,’ she said, smiling wistfully as she completed the sequence for lightspeed and pushed the levers forward, ‘Ben Solo.’


	18. Takodana

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey goes first to Takodana to meet up with Maz, where she is surprised to see that Maz's castle has been rebuilt. She has a good chat with Maz and finds out that a not-so-mysterious person has left something for her. When Rey opens the box Maz gives her, she sees that she needs to change her plans.

It was early morning when the Falcon reached Takodana, and Rey almost wept to see its raw, unmanaged beauty; the mist rising off the lake as the sun crept up over the mountains, the vivid green of the forests. There was absolutely no regret in her mind at leaving Coruscant; as soon as she breathed in the chilly dampness of the air, she knew that she could never go back to that noisy, polluted city. Except to see her friends, of course.  
Leaving the Falcon, Rey and BB8 headed towards Maz’s castle at the side of the lake. Rey was surprised to see that the castle was almost completely rebuilt, although there were still tents surrounding it in the grounds outside. Although it was early, she could already hear the sounds of life coming from inside, and she felt a strange tension in her stomach, of anticipation mingled with excitement and anxiety.  
From beside her, BB8 beeped excitedly, remembering their first visit.  
‘Yes, it does seem like a long time ago now,’ Rey agreed, walking under the archway towards the heavy, metal doors. She noticed that the statue of Max was still missing, although there were many colourful flags hanging from the windows and roof. Pushing open the doors, she stepped inside to find life was just stirring inside the huge hallway. A fire was burning in the grate, and a giant chef with four humongous arms was turning some unidentifiable meat on a spit. Already, delicious smells were wafting over towards her. Groups of travellers sat bleary-eyed at the tables, conversing quietly with each other, listening to the quiet, relaxing tunes coming from the house band. Fortunately for Rey, it was too early for there to be much interest in her, and after a brief flurry of interest, most of the patrons had soon returned to their drinks and conversation, giving her little thought.  
‘Rey!’  
But there was one person who was pleased to see her. Rey had not got far when she sensed Maz’s presence, followed soon after by the diminutive, but powerful, figure of Maz appearing next to her, already reaching up to give the young Jedi an enthusiastic hug.  
‘It’s so good to see you,’ Maz said when she finally let Rey go, leading her and BB8 over to one of the empty tables, gesturing to the chef to bring them some food over. ‘And you too, of course BB8,’ she said in response to the droid’s urgent bleeping. ‘I hadn’t forgotten you.’   
‘This place looks amazing,’ said Rey, taking her seat. ‘Poe told me you were rebuilding the castle, but I didn’t know it was finished.’  
‘I wasn’t even going to rebuild it,’ admitted Maz, taking a seat beside her. ‘For a long time, I considered the ruins to be a poetic reminder of the dangers of allowing organisations such as the First Order to take power. But then I had an offer I couldn’t refuse and so, here we are.’ She studied the young woman in front of her for a moment, taking in her dark grey tunic and pants, the long scarf wrapped around her neck. Rey’s hair was cropped much shorter, hovering in waves above her shoulders, framing a calm, serene face that glowed with inner light. ‘You look well, my dear. Very well. But I sense some heartache.’  
Rey was about to answer when the chef appeared with a large tray of food, followed by two assistants bearing even more. Rey couldn’t believe her eyes.  
‘Tuck in,’ urged Maz, seeing Rey’s expression. ‘I expect you’re hungry.’  
‘Well I haven’t had breakfast,’ Rey explained, taking a plate and starting to help herself, ‘so this is amazing!’  
‘Tell me, Rey, what brings you here?’ Maz asked just as soon as they both had plenty of food on their plates. ‘The Force called you to Takodana before, but I cannot imagine that it wishes you to retread old ground.’  
‘I’m looking for somewhere to start my new Jedi Order,’ Rey explained, ‘and it was Poe who suggested Takodana. I came here to see you, and because I needed an antidote to Coruscant.’  
‘I can see why that would be the case. And building a new Jedi Order, well that is a plan I can support with my whole heart,’ said Maz, nodding her approval. ‘The Jedi have been sorely missed ever since the Sith, and Snoke, rose to defeat them. We need them to help prevent the darkness from ever dominating again.’  
‘I don’t think I will ever have as many students as there were on Coruscant,’ Rey went on, tucking into her food with gusto. ‘What’s more important to me is the need for a clear purpose.’  
‘You don’t think that the Jedi had purpose?’  
‘No, they always had purpose,’ Rey explained, picking up a tasty-looking fruit. ‘But they allowed that purpose to be clouded by other concerns. Like how large the Order was, how powerful it was. Its political input.’  
‘Ah, I see what you mean,’ replied Maz, ‘and you would take it back to its core purpose…’  
‘Yes, like the need for compassion for all of the Force’s creations. To me, compassion is the most important role of the Jedi.’  
Maz smiled enigmatically, ‘Your instincts are rooted in your own path towards becoming a Jedi, I see. As they should be.’ Maz took a mouthful of food before asking, ‘What planets have you considered?’  
‘Not many,’ she said, chewing thoughtfully. ‘Naboo, here…’  
‘Both good choices. Naboo is very pretty outside of Theed, and there are some beautiful islands in the Lake Country. You might also want to take a look at Dantooine and Chandrila, both of them are green, fertile planets, I expect you’d like them. The forests of Chandrila especially.’  
‘Yes, I’ve heard about those.’ Rey remembered Ben’s childhood memories of Chandrila, the dense woods and wilderness.  
They talked and ate for a long time, Rey bringing Maz up to speed about the comings and goings of Poe, Finn and Rose. In return, Maz told her about her about what had been happening in her little corner of the galaxy. ‘It’s been a very busy time. So many people coming and going, your friend, Kyp Dala, included.’  
‘Yes, I suggested she came here first after she escaped from Exegol. After the ruination of her own planet, I thought she would love the mountains and the woods here.’  
‘You were right. She spent many hours here, just walking in the mountains. And what a kind and generous lady, she was. It was a shame when she, and her beautiful family, decided to leave.’ The mention of Kyp seemed to trigger another memory in Maz’s mind, ‘Oh, I almost forgot. I have something for you.’  
‘You do?’ Rey wondered what it might be.  
‘It’s been here such a long time, I almost forgot about it,’ Maz went on, getting to her feet.’ Wait here a moment.’   
Taking another piece of fruit, Rey watched as Maz disappeared into the castle, filled with anticipation. The last thing that Maz had given her had kickstarted her entire adventure - Anakin’s lightsaber. It had called Kylo Ren to her, beginning the tumultuous connection that still called to them both now.   
By time that Maz returned, Rey had eaten her way through five pieces of fruit and was starting on another. ‘Here you go, my dear.’  
Taking the gift from Maz, Rey studied it carefully. It was a carved wooden box, long and rectangular, the dark wood worn smooth with age and handling. ‘Who is this from?’  
‘It’s from one of the kind people who helped me to rebuild my castle. The person who suggested the whole project, in fact.’  
Confused, Rey didn’t know, at first, what to do with the box. She simply stared at it, almost too afraid to see what was inside. Remembering flashbacks to her vision in Maz’s basement.  
‘Open it,’ urged Maz, seeing her hesitation. ‘You’ll be ready for it, this time.’  
There was a small metal catch on the front; slipping it open, Rey lifted the lid and peered inside to find that the box was filled with lots of strange things she had never seen before. ‘What is it?’  
‘It’s a writing case,’ said Maz as Rey started to root through it, taking things out to have a closer look at them. As Maz explained to her, there were old-fashioned pens with metal nibs, a jar of what Maz called ‘ink’, smooth stones carved with unknown symbols, and, right at the bottom, scraps of rough, handmade paper. A subtle fragrance drifted up towards her nostrils, and she inhaled it delicately, ‘What’s that smell?’  
‘It comes from the wood,’ said Maz, watching her carefully, seeing if she had guessed who the mystery benefactor was. ‘It’s a tree that only grows on Chandrila, in the forests there.’  
It was another clue to the owner of the box. ‘This belongs to Ben?’  
‘He left it here for you.’  
Putting the papers down for a moment, Rey could hardly believe it, ‘Ben suggested that you should rebuild the castle?’  
‘Yes,’ Maz’s eyes shone bright with amusement. She sat down, taking the seat next to Rey. ’I bumped into him in completely random circumstances. Even for me. He was nervous at first, but we had a good chat over far too much fermented Opie berries and perhaps it was the drink, or the memories that we shared, but he offered to come and rebuild it for me. And he was true to his word.’  
‘He built the whole thing?’ Rey could hardly speak, unable to imagine Ben drinking much, let alone being drunk.  
‘No, he had help. But he worked harder than anyone else, as well he might. I know he felt guilty about the reason for its destruction, but there was something else that drew him here.’ Maz looked at her meaningfully, ‘Something to do with you, I imagine?’  
‘It’s where we, er, first met,’ stammered Rey, although that was not quite the right word. The ‘place where he kidnapped me’ or ‘abducted me’ would be more correct but she couldn’t bring herself to say the words.  
‘Yes, that was it.’ Maz started to collect together the plates and vessels from the table, seeing that they had both finished eating, ‘He spent about a year here in total, maybe more. But then other things drew him away.’  
‘He’s been very quiet about what he’s been up to,’ commented Rey, her attention returning to the bits of paper that still lay in her hands. Looking at them a second time, she could see that they had writing on them.  
‘I’ll get rid of this and then we’ll have some tea.’  
‘Here, let me…’ Rey went to help but Maz shooed her away.  
‘You stay here, relax. It won’t take me long to clear this.’   
Whilst Maz bustled about, taking the plates back to the kitchen, Rey looked through the pile of papers. All of them were written in the same hand, Ben’s hand, although some were neater than others. Mostly poems, although there were a few drawings too. Looking through them, she could see that the poems were about love, and loss, and the need for belonging, concerns that had shaped her life as well as his. But it was the ones that spoke of passionate love, of longing for someone unobtainable, that stirred her heart the most;

Thinking of you, I stand in the rain.  
It wets my cheek. Like tears.

The moon shines bright upon my bed.  
What hides there in the shadows?  
I raise my head to look at the brilliant moon.  
I see its face and think of you

The sky is long, the road is far, bitter flies my spirit.  
I dream I can’t get through. The mountain pass is narrow.  
Long yearning. For you.  
It breaks my heart.

She had just finished when Maz came back with a tray containing two cups of tea and a plate of small, delicious looking cakes. After Maz had sat down and shared the cups out, Rey showed her the poems. Putting on her glasses, she read through them, a faint smile crossing her face. ‘This is the side of Ben that Snoke tried to destroy,’ she said eventually, looking up at Rey. ‘Encouraging him to focus on his anger and hate. Little did he know that the connection he formed between you two would lead to his own destruction.’  
‘I always thought Snoke lied about that,’ said Rey, drinking her tea. ‘Our connection awoke before that, when Ben took me to Starkiller. It was already there.’  
‘Perhaps all Snoke did was accelerate it,’ suggested Maz. ‘But you would have found each other eventually. The Force has ways of making its will come to pass, as does the heart.’ She gave the poems back to Rey, who blushed despite herself. ‘He certainly loves you very deeply, I could tell that as soon as he started speaking about you. It’s all in his eyes.’  
Returning the poems to the box, Rey noticed a piece of paper that she had missed. It was roughly torn, as if it had been attached to something larger at one point. Picking it up, she studied it closely. It was a sketch of a house by a lake, surrounded by mountains. The name ‘Padme’ was scribbled next to it.  
‘Padme,’ said Rey out loud, showing it to Maz. ‘Could that be Leia’s mother, Padme Naberrie?’  
I should think so,’ she nodded, ‘I don’t know of any other Padme.’ She pulled down her glasses and peered at the sketch. ‘I think someone wants you to go to Naboo by the looks of it.’ Smiling, she looked back at Rey. ‘As far as I remember, Padme’s family home was at Varykino, in the Lake Country. It would not harm you to go there, it’s a beautiful place. You might find you want to build a temple there.’  
‘It was on my list,’ murmured Rey, a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach. She hadn’t left Coruscant to look for Ben, but what if he wanted her to find him? Not directly, that would be too easy, but in a way that would show her what he had been up to in her absence. A way of showing her without having to tell her.  
Saying goodbye to Maz, and promising to visit when she had a firmer idea of what she was doing, Rey found BB8, who had been chatting to a rogue protocol droid, and went back outside to find the Falcon. But as she walked over to it, the woods at the side of the castle beckoned to her, daring her to return to the place where she had first encountered Ben. She stood for a moment at the edge of the moss-covered trees, looking into the forest, memories stirring inside her. Running away from the stormtroopers, the sound of the lightsaber as he emerged from the trees, trying to escape, only for him to immobilise her with scarcely any effort. She had been vulnerable then, unable to tap into the vast reserves of power that lain hidden under the surface. The power that Ben, ironically, had unlocked through his interrogation of her.  
BB8 bleeped urgently, wondering why she was standing on the edge of the woods.  
‘I was just remembering, BB8,’ she said, ‘the last time we were here.’  
That seemed to satisfy the plucky little droid and, with one last look into the depths of the forest, Rey returned to the Falcon to start the next stage of her journey. She was in two minds whether to go to Naboo; she wanted to take her own journey of discovery rather than follow in Ben’s shadow. But since she had originally intended to visit Naboo, it was not a huge departure to visit Padme’s former home at the same time.  
As she entered the ship, BB8 asked her timidly where they were going to next.  
‘To Naboo,’ she said, checking the engineering station. Everything seemed to be in working order and she headed to the cockpit. As BB8 bleeped at her, she replied, ‘Yes, that’s right. Where Leia’s memorial is. Perhaps we’ll go and see that whilst we’re there, huh?’  
BB8 said he would like that, it had been a long time since the ceremony.


	19. Voyage to Varykino

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey travels to Naboo, where she visits Leia's memorial on Theed. There she has a strange encounter with a gardener, who has a message for her from Ben. Going next to Varykino, she stays in a nearby town close to where Anakin and Padme spent their time away from Coruscant. Going to the villa where Padme's nieces now live, she has an entertaining time with the two women, who are fun and lively company. They give her something from Ben, which suggests her next destination should be Tatooine. Unsure whether she wants to follow in Ben's footsteps, she spends a day exploring the islands of Naboo with Dakin, who is another traveller staying in the same hostel as she is.

When they reached Naboo, Rey landed the Falcon in Theed, thinking that she and BB8 should visit Leia’s memorial first before heading out to the Lake Country. Seeing Theed in the day was a very different experience from the night-time, and Rey enjoyed her walk across the elegant city, admiring the colourful clothes of the inhabitants, and the elegant hairstyles of the women. By now, most of the damage done by the First Order’s occupation and assault had been repaired, with only a few buildings still bearing the marks of war, including part of an AT-M6 which had been left buried inside one facade as a reminder of Naboo’s struggle for independence. The squat walls of the palace continued to dominate the main plaza, and Rey wondered idly who had been Queen Melidana’s successor. The young woman’s term had recently come to an end, but only Poe had been invited to the four-day long celebration which had marked the ceremonial end to her reign and the coronation of the new Queen.  
Asking a passer-by for directions, Rey found her way to the memorial gardens, a large space on the outskirts of the city. Passing through the elaborately decorated gates, she found herself at the top of a broad avenue, leading down towards a large, open-sided temple in the middle of the gardens. Build out of the local, subtle yellow stone, it was topped by a green cupola. Other paths branched off from the temple, leading into more secluded wooded areas, or formal gardens that showcased elaborately planted flowers and bushes. Just inside the gate, Rey fortuitously found a large map that detailed the resting places and memorials of significant persons that were buried within the gardens. Studying it, she eventually found Leia’s memorial, next to her mother’s, both located inside a smaller temple that was down one of the side-paths, hidden within trees.   
‘Come on, BB8,’ she said to the little droid, who was dawdling behind her. ‘It’s this way.’  
The droid rolled beside her as she walked down the avenue, making comments in his idiosyncratic way whilst Rey admired her surroundings. On Jakku, she had lived amongst death; the burnt and damaged remains of ships and war machines, the bones of dead animals picked clean by vultures. There, death had been unpleasant and ugly. Here it was serene, even beautiful.   
Inside the temple, Leia’s memorial sat side by side with her mother’s. Both women were memorialised in stone, looking like they were fast asleep, waiting to be woken, and high above them, the ceiling of the temple had been painted to look like the night sky. The sculptors had chosen to commemorate both women in the prime of their youth, making them look like sisters rather than mother and daughter. As she gazed at the memorials, Rey noticed that fresh flowers had been laid on both, a red rose-like flower that had an amazing perfume when she stooped down to smell it. A stone bench had been built around the edge of the temple, and Rey sat down for a moment to appreciate the peacefulness of the location. Even BB8 was silent, understanding her need for peace and calm. She had just closed her eyes to better appreciate the atmosphere, when she heard shuffling footsteps outside and she opened her eyes to see an old man entering the temple.  
‘Hello there,’ he said kindly, smiling at Rey. ‘There’s no one been here for a long time.’  
‘There hasn’t?’ His words surprised her, and she looked at him more closely. The man was dressed in grey overalls, with a small trowel and cutting tool tucked into his belt, and he peered at her from under shaggy eyebrows, his eyes blue and sparkling with life. He was was deeply tanned from working outside, the number of wrinkles and creases suggesting that he was pushing late seventy, even eighty, if Rey had to made a guess. Despite his gruff exterior, Rey took to him immediately, his warmth and empathetic manner coming to her through the Force.  
‘No, you’d be surprised how quickly people forget.’ He peered at her again, as if looking for something. ‘So, come on. Who are you then?’  
‘I’m Rey.’  
His eyebrows raised imperceptibly, a crease appearing in his forehead. ‘Ah, so you’re Rey. I wondered when you would be here.’  
‘You’re expecting me?’ asked Rey in confusion as the old man came and sat down next to her.  
‘Oh yes,’ he said, ‘for a while now. I’d almost given up hope but I knew you’d come eventually.’ He took out a crumpled handkerchief from one of his pockets and wiped his brow with it. ‘Forgive me,’ he said, putting it away again, ‘I’ve not got the same energy as when I was your age.’  
‘How old are you?’ she asked, gently.  
‘Oh, old enough to remember the Old Republic. I was a young man then,’ he said, his eyes twinkling. ‘I’ve lived through more changes of government than you, I wager.’  
‘I imagine so,’ said Rey, thinking of something. ‘If you’ve seen so many governments, what’s the best bit of advice you would give to the new Chancellor?’  
‘What? Hmm,’ said the old man thoughtfully, leaning back against the wall of the temple. ‘I’d tell the Chancellor that they need to listen to the young people more, not the old ones like me.’ When Rey started to laugh, he shook his head. ‘No, seriously. It’s old men like me who have caused the never-ending cycle of war we’ve been stuck in for the past few generations.’ He looked over at the two memorials. ‘Take Leia and Padme. Mother and daughter both served in the Senate and fought against the Empire. Both of them lost their children because of the war. War destroys families, and it destroys hope.’   
‘I think you’d be pleased to hear that the current Chancellor agrees with you. Hope and love are the guiding principles for every decision that he makes.’  
‘What’s his name?’  
‘Poe Dameron. His parents were pilots in the Rebel Alliance, and he served alongside Leia in the Resistance.’  
‘Then he’s seen the impact of war at close hand. Sounds like a decent fellow,’ was the old man’s summation. ‘Is he young?’  
‘Young enough,’ agreed Rey.  
It was cool and dark in the temple, although the sunlight was bright outside. From the doorway, Rey watched a blue butterfly flitter past, heading for a bright patch of flowers growing close by. A light breeze stirred the branches in the trees overhead. With few clouds overhead, it was a perfect day.  
‘So what brings you to Naboo?’ the old man asked her, after a long silence.  
‘I’m thinking about reviving the Jedi Order,’ replied Rey, wondering how much she needed to explain.  
The man drew his breath in sharply. ’That’s a big task.’  
‘I’m looking for somewhere to build a training temple.’  
‘I can see why you would consider Naboo,’ the old man said, looking up as another butterfly came accidentally into the temple. ‘It’s peaceful here. The scenery is magnificent, especially in the Lake Country. Is that where you’re headed?’  
‘Yes.’  
‘You know that’s where Padme’s family had a home?’  
‘Yes, at Varykino.’  
‘That’s right. It’s still there, her nieces live in it now. They’re happy to tell you about her, if you go and visit them. They won’t mind.’  
‘I’d like that.’  
‘Restoring the Jedi, huh?’ He returned to her original comment. ‘That’s a big task, especially for one as young as yourself. But I commend your determination. Compassion has been sorely missing from this galaxy ever since the Order was driven to extinction. You know,’ he went on, ‘it’s funny. I had almost this exact same conversation over a year ago now with a young man. He said that he was going to visit Varykino. And like you he carried a lightsaber, although he didn’t call himself a Jedi.’  
‘Oh!’ Rey’s heart started beating rapidly, ‘Was he tall, with dark hair?’  
‘Let me think,’ he said, a smile creeping across his features. ‘Yes, I believe he was. We don’t get that many people here after all, which is why I remember him. Do you know him?’  
‘Just a little bit,’ she grinned, hazarding a guess that the man was Ben.  
‘Like you, he’d come to visit the memorial, although he got more than he bargained for when he came. You see, I’d fallen over in the garden and hurt my leg. The day was wet and cold, and there was no one was around. I must’ve lain there for ages, crying for help. But fortunately your friend found me. He managed to help me back up, get me home and get some help for my leg.’  
‘That was kind of him…’  
‘It was. Before he left, he told me he was wandering the galaxy in penance for some terrible things he’d done in the past. I couldn’t believe it really, because he seemed so thoughtful and kind. I couldn’t imagine what madness must have possessed him.’  
‘It was the darkness that possessed him,’ said Rey quietly, ‘not madness.’  
‘Ah, I see.’ He nodded, understanding. ‘And I’ll tell you another thing,’ he continued, taking her hand. ‘He stayed in Theed a while afterwards, I think he was helping out with something at the palace. One day he came back to the gardens, and I saw him, and he asked me if I would do one thing for him before he left the planet. Anything, I said. He said, one day a young woman called Rey will come here, and when she does, I would like you to give her something special from the garden.’  
‘He did?’ It was uncanny Ben knew that she would come here, or perhaps he had just hoped that she would.  
‘Come on.’  
The man got up stiffly and Rey gave him her arm for support. Slowly, they walked out of the temple and into the garden, followed by BB8, who was bleeping and burbling to itself. Clearly, the gardener still had trouble with his leg and it took them a while to get to where he wanted to go. For once, Rey was in no rush and was more than pleased to listen to the man’s wealth of knowledge about the plants and trees as they walked by, him listing all the names and medicinal uses where known. They were heading down a path towards one of the more formal gardens when Rey saw several tall bushes of bright red flowers growing, flowers that she immediately recognised. It was the same flowers that Rey had seen on Leia’s, and Padme’s, memorials.  
‘Here we are.’ Reaching into his belt, the man removed his cutting tool and, reaching upwards, cut down one of the most vivid flowers from the bush, its deep red petals imbued with a heady scent. ‘We call this flower, The Heart of a Queen,’ he said meaningfully, giving it to her.  
‘Thank you.’ Rey was both grateful for, and exasperated by, Ben’s messages to her. This one she did not understand, its meaning more obscure than his poems.  
‘He said it would be the most suitable,’ said the older man, his eyes shining, ‘and now I see why. It has strength and beauty, don’t you think?’  
Tears pooled in her eyes as she realised why Ben had chosen it. Those were among the characteristics that he loved her for. ‘Yes, it does.’  
The old man looked at her sympathetically, ‘You miss him, don’t you.’  
‘I do,’ she admitted. ‘We’ve been apart a long time.’ Wiping her eyes, she realised that she had been in the gardens for much longer than she’d intended. ‘I should be going, I’ve taken up more than enough of your time.’  
‘Don’t be silly,’ said the man kindly, ‘although I should get back to my gardening, anyhow. But hardly anyone comes here now, unless there’s a ceremony on. I’ve been glad of your company.’  
‘It’s been lovely to talk with you.’  
They embraced, and the old man patted her back affectionately.   
‘Thank you,’ he said, ‘it’s been a long time since a beautiful woman wanted to give me a cuddle. You’ve made my day!’  
‘Thank you for sharing your memories with me.’ Rey and BB8 watched the old gardener as he slowly shuffled off into the memorial gardens.  
‘Don’t give up hope,’ he called back to her, ‘you’ll see your young man again.’  
Rey watched him until he had disappeared out of sight behind a small copse of trees. Beside her, BB8 bleeped forlornly.  
‘Yes, I imagine he is lonely here, surrounded by the dead. But he keeps the gardens beautifully.’ It made her think about all the individuals who were like the gardener, dutifully looking after their own tiny part of the galaxy. Detached, in some ways, from wider events but not untouched by them. It was individuals like the gardener who were often forgotten by those in power, and by history, and it made her feel sad.  
Returning to Theed, Rey spent a happy few hours wandering around the city with BB8, tasting the local specialities, and taking in the sights. Most spectacular, in their opinion, was the majestic river that wound its way through the centre, and which culminated in the huge waterfalls that fell over the edge of the plateau upon which the city was built, before the river continued its journey through the surrounding countryside. After making several enquiries, she decided to travel by local transport to Cassarta, which was the nearest town to the villa at Varykino, leaving the Falcon securely in its hangar. At the port, she found the shuttle transport that made the journey there and back to Cassarta twice a day and, after purchasing a ticket for her and for BB8, she settled down in a comfortable-enough seat to wait for its departure. As she sat waiting, she watched the other passengers surreptitiously as they got on. There was a group of girl-friends, all dressed beautifully in traditional gowns, several couples taking a trip together, two people on their own like her, and a family with three beautiful children, their faces flushed with excitement as they took their seats by the window.  
‘What’s that BB8?’ Rey was suddenly glad that she had taken BB8 with her rather than choosing to travel alone. She missed her friends, Rose and Finn, and she wondered what they were up to. ‘Yes, it looks like you’re the only droid.’  
The children also noticed the droid and pointed it out to their parents, ‘Look mama, look at the droid! How funny it is!’ They had not seen anything like it before.  
The mom, a young woman who must have only been a few years older than Rey, turned round to have a look. She met Rey’s eyes with a wry smile, ‘Yes, it certainly is interesting. I’ve not seen one like that before.’  
The journey passed uneventfully, and Rey stared out of the window at the scenery. It truly was beautiful, especially as they passed through the Lake Country, the intense blue of the lakes nestled in-between sweeping mountains and vast forests. She had lifted BB8 up onto the seat beside her so that the droid could enjoy the view and it bleeped happily as they sped along, keeping the children entertained, much to their parents’ delight. Rey talked with the couple for a while, finding out that there were visiting their parents who lived in a small villa, not far from the main town. They were interested to hear that Rey had come from Coruscant, bombarding her with questions as to what the city-planet was really like. She tried to do the city justice, although even she had to admit that she preferred the environment of Naboo far better, which seemed to please her companions no end.  
It was early evening by the time the shuttle pulled into Cassarta. Stretching her legs after the long journey, Rey said goodbye to her new friends, and went for a quick walk to get the measure of the place she found herself in. Cassarta was a small town of ancient buildings, built in traditional yellow stone, with the striking red roofs and copper-green domes that formed the local architectural style. After a meander around the streets, she found somewhere to stay for a few days, a small hostelry that was located down one of the quieter back-streets. The owner, a large, cheerful woman, warmly welcomed her and her droid, showing her into a small, but comfortable, room that she could use as her base for the few days that she was there. For Rey had decided to take things slowly for once rather than rushing around and stressing herself out. With the owner’s help, she found a speeder taxi that would take her to the island of Varykino the following day, which was still privately owned by the Naberrie family as it had been in Padme’s time.   
As the sun started to set below the mountains, Rey sat with the woman, whose name was Solana, outside on the balcony of her beautiful home. Solana was interested in her reasons for visiting the area and Rey talked at length about her plans to restore the Jedi Order.  
‘You know that Varykino is where Padme Amidala stayed with the Jedi Knight, Anakin Skywalker?’ asked Solana. Her long dark hair was arranged in an elaborate hairstyle of two large buns, decorated with colourful hair clasps, and Rey could not help admiring it as they talked.  
‘No I didn’t,’ replied Rey, looking out over the town, a much-needed cup of tea in her hand.  
‘Do you know much about their story?’  
‘A little,’ agreed the girl, ‘I know that they fell in love and married despite the restrictions of the Jedi Code.’  
Settling back in her chair, Solana recounted to her how Padme had come to stay at the villa following a plot to assassinate the outspoken Senator had been uncovered on Coruscant. ‘In the Jedi Council’s wisdom, they allowed her to be accompanied by Anakin Skwalker, who by all accounts was very handsome…’  
Just like his grandson, thought Rey to herself.  
‘…They first met as children, but it’s not surprising, I think, that it’s here where they fell in love. They’re supposed to have got married on the terrace overlooking the lake at the villa. Anyway, you’ll see it tomorrow. I like to think that it was spending their time here, in the beautiful surroundings, that encouraged them to fall in love. There’s a local saying that the lakes and mountains can bewitch you, if you let them.’  
‘I’m not surprised,’ agreed Rey, looking out across the amazing scenery of the mountains, ‘it’s almost too beautiful here. Especially after coming here from Coruscant.’  
Solana smiled, ‘We are incredibly lucky to live amongst such a landscape. Where did you say you were from originally?’  
‘From Jakku. It’s mostly desert. Flat and uninteresting.’  
‘Anakin Skywalker was from a desert planet too,’ mused Solana, ‘Tatooine I think. Like you, he was desperate for some green in his life.’ Taking a sip of her tea, the hostess sighed deeply. ‘It’s so sad what happened to Padme. That she became caught up in events that not only led to the end of the Republic and the Jedi Order, but to everything that she loved and fought for. Peace. Democracy. She deserved to have a long and happy life but she died so young, poor thing.’  
‘And her relatives still own the villa?’  
‘They do, Ryoo and Pooja, her nieces. They were children when Padme died, but they have worked hard to keep her memory alive. They love having visitors, if you’re thinking of going there?’  
‘I am,’ Rey nodded, her mind swimming with the stories and memories associated with the place. ‘I’d love to find out more about Padme, she sounds like an amazing woman. I knew her daughter, Leia Organa.’  
‘You did? Oh, you lucky girl! She was an incredible woman too,’ agreed Solana, pouring her another cup of tea. ‘It was such a surprise when we found out that Padme’s children had not died with her, but had been hidden in secret to keep them away from their father. A relief too, to learn that her descendants lived on, to continue Padme’s hope that peace and democracy would return to the galaxy. Although I think her children have both passed now, yes?’  
Rey nodded. ‘Luke and Leia both passed into the Force not long after each other.’  
‘And they had children?’ Solana asked hopefully.  
‘Leia has a son, Ben Solo.’ Mentioning his name made her tingle all over.  
‘And he will carry on his family’s legacy?’  
‘In a way. Yes.’  
‘Ah, that is good to know. Neither Ryoo or Pooja have ever married, so the Naberrie family will die out with them. But if Leia has a son, there is a chance that the hope Padme gave to the galaxy will continue through him.’  
That night, Rey got ready for bed in the pretty room that Solana had given her, thinking about her visit to Varykino the next day. Idly, she looked around the room; it was small and homely, the bed heaped with warm blankets and home-made cushions. The wardrobe and chest of drawers were painted with intricate depictions of pink and yellow flowers, and there were paintings on the walls of mountains and lakes. After changing into her pyjamas, Rey climbed into bed and immediately sank into the old mattress, much to her consternation. But once she got used to it, twisting and turning to find the right spot, it was comfortable enough. Down on the floor, BB8 had already powered down for the night, and the only sound was the faraway squeak of some unknown animal outside. As she lay in bed, trying to sleep, Rey thought about Padme. All in all, her life was a tragedy, her potential cut short all for the sake of her forbidden love for Anakin Skywalker. Rey thought that surely it could not be that simple, there must be other reasons why a young woman of obvious ability and talent, who had achieved so many great things in a short time, had lost her life before she could reach her full potential, or even spend time with her children. It was so different to her own experiences, where her love for Ben, and his love for her, had helped to return them both to the light from which they had strayed. How terrifying it must have been for Padme, to experience the opposite, to see her lover descend into the darkness that eventually claimed him.  
The next morning, Rey was up early. After a run around the town to keep herself fit and trim, she helped Solana make breakfast whilst the older woman regaled her with stories about the local area. In particular, she told her about the huge Gungan Cities that existed under the seemingly calm waters of the lakes, and the fearsome creatures which lived alongside them and protected them from outsiders. Rey was especially interested to hear about how the co-existence of the Naboo people and the Gungans that had lasted for thousands of years, although there had been many ups and downs in their shared history.   
After a hearty breakfast, she collected BB8, said goodbye to Solana, and went to meet the speeder taxi that would take her to Varykino.

‘Here we are,’ said the speeder pilot as they sped through the valley, ‘that’s Varykino coming up now.’  
Peering out of the window, Rey’s keen eyes saw a lake appearing in the distance, in the midst of it, an island, jutting out into the calm waters. The island was covered in thickly wooded trees, and half-hidden among them was a large house, leading down to a small pebbled beach and jetty where several boats were moored. Built out of the same soft, yellow stone as the town, the house was composed of two round towers, joined together by a range of shorter buildings in a jumble of red-tiled and ubiquitous green-domed roofs. It was one of the most beautiful, enchanting places that Rey had ever seen, and she could not tear her eyes away as the house drew closer.  
It had taken just over an hour to reach Varykino, which was a long way away from its nearest town. During the journey Rey had chatted with the speeder pilot about the reason for her visit as they sped along through the mountains, and in return he had told her as much information as he could about the surrounding region. He told her that Varykino had once been owned by the royal government of Naboo, used as a safe haven for the Queen in times of danger and rebellion. It had been granted to Padme Naberrie for her private use in return for her bravery against the Trade Federation, most famously when she had come to the island with Anakin Skywalker during her exile from Coruscant. During the Clone Wars and the Empire, the villa had fallen into dis-use and almost been abandoned. However, during the brief lull in hostilities following the Battle of Jakku, the villa had been restored by the then Queen and given to Padme’s closest descendants, Ryoo and Pooja, as a means of celebrating their aunt’s memory.  
‘They open the house to visitors and scholars, anyone who is interested in Padme’s story really,’ the pilot explained.  
When Rey asked about the rest of the area, he told her that there were many more islands, most of them uninhabited, and Rey began to wonder if this would be the ideal place for a training temple. It was isolated, and peaceful enough, but still connected to the main trading and hyperspace routes in this part of the galaxy to ensure that it was not too far away from civilisation.  
Arriving at Varykino, the pilot dropped her off outside the main gates. Arranging to meet him in the late afternoon, Rey walked over to the villa, seeing up close now the dreamy confection of towers, windows and green-coloured domes that were sympathetic to the colours reflected in the mountains around it. To the side, overlooking the lake, she could see a terrace, overhung with fragrant trees, their heady blossoms dripping into the water. Inspired by the surroundings, Rey took a few moments to relax and meditate, finding a shady spot under a tree to sit and rest. Whilst BB8 looked around curiously, she closed her eyes and listened to the wind stirring in the trees, and the soft sound of the water lapping at the edges of the lake, achieving an intense state of calm that energised and revived her after the cramped conditions in the speeder.  
Getting up again, she called to BB8 and went over to the gates, wondering how she might contact the Naberrie sisters who lived there. But she need not have worried, the gates to the property were open and she walked straight up the tree-lined path to the entrance.   
Up a short flight of steps, the main doors into the villa were painted a deep shade of green, augmented with brass-coloured fittings. Beside them was a large buzzer, a small sign next to it read, ‘Please ring for admittance.’ So Rey pressed the buzzer, hearing a chiming sound coming from deep inside the property in return.  
It seemed strange to turn up unannounced, and she felt her nerves returning as she waited to see if her request would be granted. After a short wait, she could hear footsteps coming towards the door. It opened to reveal an elderly woman, her grey hair swept up into an intricate series of plaits, bound together with colourful ribbons. She was dressed in a long, blue gown embossed with flowers, a leather belt around her waist. Her face was kindly, hazel eyes twinkling as she looked at Rey.  
‘Hello dear,’ she said, almost as if she expected to find her there. ‘You’re here earlier than we expected.’  
‘I am?’  
‘Yes, but it doesn’t matter, come in, come in.’   
Confused, Rey allowed the woman to usher her and BB8 inside, where she found herself in a large, cool octagonal hallway, lined with stone columns. Looking around her, Rey’s eyes were drawn to the sections within the pillars; each contained a different sculpture or artefact, the pieces sat on small shelves that extended out from the wall.  
The woman saw her looking and encouraged her to go over. ’Have a closer look, dear, if you like. All these artworks belonged to my dearest aunt, Padme Amidala. We keep this little place here going as a museum to her memory.’   
Wondering over to take a closer look at a green marble fish, its writhing body resplendent with a fish sticking out of its mouth, Rey nodded, ‘Yes, they told me in the town.’  
‘What are you looking at there, dear.’ Coming over, the woman took a closer look. ‘I can’t see so well without my glasses anymore but I think that’s Colo Claw fish.’ Sighing, she regarded Rey with an amused expression, ‘Forgive me, dear, if I start to show my age a bit.’  
‘Don’t worry,’ said Rey, liking the older woman immediately, there was a sense of fun and mischief about her which age, and family tragedy, had clearly not dimmed. ‘I’m Rey, but the way.’  
‘You are?’ The woman peered at her curiously, ‘Oh yes, you are!’  
Again, Rey was surprised by the woman’s response, almost as if she had been waiting for her to visit. ‘And you are?’  
‘I’m Pooja.’ said the older woman. ‘Now dear, tell me. Have you seen enough? We’ve got a lot to get through.’  
Pooja led Rey down a yellow-painted corridor into a large and comfortable sitting room. Immediately Rey was struck by how cluttered the room was. It was crammed to the brim with artworks and objects, bygones and knick-knacks covering every available surface, and she could barely see the walls for paintings and photographs. Even the sitting chairs were covered in colourful throws and cushions, as if the sisters could not bear to see an unoccupied space.  
‘Sit down wherever you like, dear, I must go and fetch my sister, Ryoo. She seems to have been delayed in the kitchen. Which surprises me, as she was dying to meet you.’  
‘Okay,’ Rey decided to go with the idea that she had been anticipated by the sisters, wondering if it was simply their way of speaking, or a local dialect. It did not concern her, after all, it made her feel welcome.  
Next to her, BB8 bleeped curiously as it looked about the room.  
‘Yes, it is rather busy in here, isn’t it?’ Museum had been a very apt choice of word.  
Whilst she waited, Rey looked around at some of the artworks on display. In one corner, she was drawn to the painting of a young woman, with a beautiful oval face, olive skin and almond-shaped eyes, framed by long lashes, that she immediately recognised. So Ben and Leia got their eyes from Padme. The painter had captured both sensitivity and strength in Padme’s expression, as well as a hint of mischievousness in her dark eyes, and Rey liked to think that she could see some of her personality captured there. Moving away, her eyes alighted on several pictures of the surrounding lakes and mountains at different times of year, from the cold depths of winter to the soft, green of summer, which kept her occupied for a few minutes. Meanwhile, BB8 wheeled around the furniture carefully, bleeping questions now and then, questions that Rey tried her best to answer.  
The door opened, and Pooja and Ryoo came back in, bearing cups, a teapot and slices of cake on a tray. Looking up, Rey smiled, reflecting that she was never going to go hungry again considering everyone’s kindness and hospitality.  
‘This is Rey,’ said Pooja proudly to her sister. Ryoo, who was slightly older than Pooja, betrayed the same youthful spirit in her eyes, despite the many wrinkles and creases around her eyes and upon her forehead. Like her sister, she wore a colourful dress, with various gauzy scarfs tied around her neck and around her head.   
‘Lovely to meet you at last,’ said the older lady, holding out her hand in greeting.  
‘You too,’ Rey grasped Ryoo’s bony fingers, surprised by the softness and delicacy of her skin.  
‘Sit down, sit down,’ fussed Pooja, putting the tray onto a low table and gesturing to a seat close by. As Rey obediently sat down, Ryoo went over to the sideboard and, opening a drawer, pulled out a metal box that lay inside. Then she came back over and took a seat on the opposite side of Rey.  
‘We knew you would come eventually,’ she said, watching her sister as she poured tea into one of the cups and stirring milk into it. ‘But you took your time, dear.’  
‘Oh ignore her,’ scoffed Pooja, handing Rey the cup of tea. ‘Cake?’  
‘Yes please,’ said Rey graciously.  
‘I bet you didn’t even know we were expecting you!’ Pooja went on, handing Rey a plate with a generous slice of cake on it.  
‘No, I didn’t,’ frowned Rey, as Ryoo frowned at her sister.  
‘Well you could have asked her, you know,’ complained the older woman, accepting a cup of tea from Pooja. ‘He seemed to know what he was talking about.’  
‘Well of course he did,’ admitted Pooja, sitting down in a chair now that her duties were finished, ‘Here she is, after all.’  
Rey watched their back and forth, amused, if getting desperate to know what they were going on about. ‘Who are you talking about?’  
‘He’s a lovely young man, as you know,’ Ryoo went on, settling back in her hair with her tea, looking wistfully out of the window. ‘So charming, and so tall. I expect you know that you are very lucky to have him, but it doesn’t hurt to say it…’  
‘Ryoo, hush!’ Pooja was clearly the more grounded one of the two, and she looked apologetically at Rey. ‘Rey didn’t come here to listen to your ramblings.’  
‘Sorry,’ Ryoo looked chastened and concentrated on drinking her tea.  
‘Please ignore her, her mind’s going. What she has not explained is that we had a visitor some time ago, a young man who said he was Padme’s grandson. I can’t recall his name…’  
‘Ben Solo?’  
‘That’s right, Ben Solo. I don’t know how I forgot it, it’s simple to remember.’ Pooja took a sip of tea before continuing. ‘We knew he was Padme’s descendent straight away, it’s the eyes you see, it was like looking into hers.’  
‘Of course, he was too young to remember her,’ said Ryoo, having regained her confidence. ‘But we showed him everything we have, and shared our memories with him. Would you like to see those things too?’  
‘Yes please.’ Like before, she felt strange following in Ben’s footsteps, but here it was worse, as if she was intruding upon a family occasion.  
Opening the box, Pooja pulled out some pictures of Padme at various stages in her life and showed them to Rey. She saw Padme as a young child, dark messy hair falling over an impish face; a young scholar, serious and solemn, helping children less privileged than her; the stiff, austere gaze of Queen Amidala, the heavy make-up and traditional outfits hiding her growing beauty. Rey was almost relieved to see the pictures of Padme as a senator, reinforcing that she had been a beautiful young woman with a strong sense of right and wrong.   
‘I can see why Anakin Skywalker fell in love with her,’ she said to the two sisters, ‘she’s not only beautiful but intelligent. It shines out from her face.’  
The two sisters looked at each other and smiled. ‘She was a remarkable young woman,’ said Pooja, nodding vigorously. ‘With amazing potential. She might have even risen to Chancellor if she had lived long enough. But…’ There was a moment’s pause whilst Pooja gathered her emotions together again. ‘Unfortunately we will never know the exact circumstances of her relationship with Anakin, because of it being shrouded in secrecy. But it’s clear that falling love with him cost her dear.’  
Sensing her sadness, Rey shivered, remembering her conversation with Ben. Her naivety, thinking that Padme and Anakin’s story had been romantic.  
‘As far as we know, they fell in love here, whilst staying at the villa,’ continued Pooja, clearly trying to keep to the more positive elements of the narrative. ‘There’s a tradition that they got married here, outside on the terrace.’  
‘Anakin was supposed to be very handsome,’ continued Ryoo, who was clearly the more dreamy one of the two sisters, ‘tall, with dark blonde hair and blue eyes. Sadly we have no pictures of him, so our imagination will have to suffice.’  
They talked with Rey for a long time, telling her their earliest memories of their aunt Padme, and recalling some of the events that had shaped her life. ‘Even though she was supposed to be a serious and ambitious senator, she always forgot that when she came home,’ said Pooja wistfully.  
‘She would always take the time to play with us,’ sighed Ryoo, ‘or make something pretty to put in our hair.’  
‘She always wore the most beautiful clothes, I still remember the beautiful fabrics. They were soft and silky, nothing like the outfits that we were allowed to wear.’  
‘Were your grandparents rich?’ asked Rey.  
‘Oh no, no, not at all,’ said Pooja vehemently, as if she was stung by the question. ‘They were perfectly ordinary, even by Naboo’s standards.’  
‘Padme was fortunate to be identified early as having great potential in a leadership role,’ explained Ryoo, ‘she was always destined for greatness, whatever she chose to do.’  
The sisters took Rey outside onto the spacious, lakeside terrace where Padme was supposed to have married Anakin in secret. It was a beautiful place, leafy branches hanging over the carved stone balustrades, topped with colourful urns of flowers. Leaning over the balustrade, Rey looked down to see the lake lapping at the footing of the villa; within the clear waters she could see fish and sense other creatures through the webs of the Force, the whole water teeming with life. As she looked into the water, other emotions came to her. She felt a great sense of tranquility, but also of love and closed her eyes, hoping to grasp it.  
‘We used to lie on the sand and let the sun dry us…’  
Rey opened her eyes, startled to hear the voice of a young woman. Beside her, there were two people standing close to the rail, seemingly unaware of her presence. One was a young man, his back to her, although she could see that he was tall and slender. He was dressed in long brown and beige coloured robes, the lightsaber at his belt betraying his profession. To the side of him was a young woman, wearing a revealing dress of gauzy, rainbow-coloured fabrics. She was looking out over the lake, the coolness of her exterior masking what appeared to be strong emotions that were flickering in her eyes.   
‘…And try to guess the names of the birds singing.’  
There was a pause. ’I don’t like sand,’ murmured the young man, staring intently at the young woman. ‘It’s coarse and rough and irritating. And it gets everywhere,’ the young man went on, as the young woman’s face turned to meet his. ‘Not like here, he went on daring to reach out and touch her slender arm, stroking it gently whilst the young woman continued to stare at him, clearly uncertain. ‘Here everything is soft… and smooth.’  
Rey watched, unable to tear herself away as the young man leaned forward to kiss Padme on the lips, and she, despite her initial reluctance, returning it eagerly.  
‘Rey? Are you okay dear?’  
Rey snapped out of her trance, and looked round to see Ryoo staring at her. ‘Sorry, I was miles away.’  
‘This place starts to get to you, doesn’t it?’ nodded Ryoo, linking her arm with Rey’s, ‘The ghosts of the past are never far away.’  
‘We were going to ask you if you wanted to stay for dinner?’ asked Pooja, who was tidying up the cups and plates in the sitting room.  
‘Are you sure?’ Rey had already imposed upon them enough, she couldn’t expect them to feed her too.  
‘You’re more than welcome to stay,’ said Ryoo, collecting up the cups and plates. ‘We’re having bread and soup, which we make here ourselves as the town is so far away. The vegetables come from the garden, although we get the flour from the market.’  
It sounded enticing to Rey, who was already hungry, and she readily accepted. ‘I would love to, thank you.’  
‘No trouble, my dear,’ said Pooja, encouraging her to follow them into the back of the villa, to the kitchen, BB8 trailing along behind them. ‘I must say, you’ve more than exceeded my expectations.’ When Rey looked at her blankly, Pooja smiled and added, ‘When he was here, Ben told us a lot about you.’  
‘We thought he was describing a Diathim,’ sighed Ryoo, who was carrying the tray in front.  
‘But we can see that he was pretty close to the mark.’  
‘He clearly loves her very much,’ remarked Ryoo, stopping to open a door into a wider, stone-flagged corridor. Large windows looked outside onto a walled garden, neatly divided up into rows of vegetables and herbs. ‘He could hardly stop talking about her, could he, Pooja?.’  
‘Indeed, he seemed quite shy at first, but he soon warmed up,’ remarked Pooja to her sister, almost as if she had forgotten that Rey was still there. ‘She’s made quite the impression on him.’  
The mention of Ben made her feel all tingly inside, especially after the intense vision she’d just experienced. ‘I wish he’d say some of these things to me,’ she half-joked to herself, moving out of the way to avoid several baskets that were propped up against the wall.  
‘It must be nice to be loved like that,’ sighed Ryoo, pushing open the door that led into the kitchen.  
‘It never did Padme any good…’  
‘I know but I’d like to experience it, to see what it’s like.’  
‘It’s a bit late for that now,’ laughed Pooja, holding the door until Rey was safely inside the kitchen.  
‘You never got married?’ asked Rey, coming into the bright, open kitchen, followed by BB8.   
‘No,’ said Pooja, going over to the black-metal stove where a pan was sat on top of a merrily burning fire. ‘After what happened to Padme, I don’t think either of us wanted to be in a relationship. And fortunately on Naboo there’s no expectation to get married or have a family, like there is on some planets…’  
‘So stifling,’ said Ryoo, taking the cups and plates off the tray and putting them into the large sink.  
‘I know it means that the Naberrie family dies out with us,’ continued Pooja, stirring the contents of the pot, ‘but there are other branches, and they’ve agreed to take the villa on when we inevitably pass away.’  
‘So it will stay in the family?’ smiled Ryoo, stowing the tray away in a cupboard.  
‘We also like each other’s company too much,’ Pooja went on, looking lovingly at her sister, ‘I don’t think we’d want anyone else to come in and spoil it.’  
It was not long until the soup was ready, and Ryoo cut some thick slices of bread, which she spread with butter and placed on a plate. They sat at the large table in the middle of the kitchen to eat it, spooning the soup from large bowls that were hand-painted with images of mountains and flowers. Rey loved being with the sisters, they were tremendously fun and mischievous, asking her lots of questions about her life on Jakku, and how she had come to be involved with the Resistance against the First Order. After telling them her entire life history, they were impressed to find out her plans for restoring the Jedi Order, and told her about some uninhabited islands in the vicinity that would be perfect for a training temple.  
‘Nobody goes there, you see,’ said Pooja, ‘occasionally you used to get communes of artists and musicians on some islands, taking advantage of the peace and tranquility. But that’s rare now.’  
‘This house used to be owned by a poet, you know,’ said Ryoo, hoovering up the last of her soup with a piece of bread.  
There was a sonorous ‘dong,’, and the clock in the corner of the kitchen came to life. It sounded out the hours, dong, dong, dong, dong.  
‘Ooh, five o-clock,’ said Ryoo, looking at the time.  
With a start, Rey remembered that she had arranged to meet the speeder pilot around that time. ‘I’m really sorry, but I’m going to have to go!’  
‘So soon?’ frowned Ryoo, ‘but we’ve only just got started.’  
‘Oh, that’s a shame,’ said Pooja, ‘and we were just getting to know you. Never mind, you have an important place to be, I assume, and we won’t stop you.’  
Rey was about to reassure her that it was nothing personal, but Pooja was already getting up and going over to a large cupboard, that was topped by a set of shelves. Upon the shelves were crockery plates, cups and jugs, all decorated in bright flowers and scenes of landscapes, similar to the soup bowls. Pulling open the drawer, which was very stiff, Pooja rummaged around for a bit inside it until she pulled out something that had been wrapped in a bright square of fabric and tied off with a red ribbon.  
‘What’s that?’ asked Rey, her heart hammering in her chest. She had seen that type of ribbon before.  
‘This is for you, dear,’ she said, coming back over to where Rey was sat.  
‘Are you sure?’ Rey got up hesitantly, embarrassed by their generosity.  
‘Of course, dear, don’t be silly. We’ve loved having you here.’  
‘And now we’ve met you, we know that Ben wasn’t exaggerating,’ said Ryoo, her eyes sparkling, ‘you truly are a most remarkable young woman.’  
‘Rather like Padme.’  
‘Yes, I can see why you would say that,’ Ryoo remarked to her sister. ‘She has the same fire in her eyes.’  
Taking the parcel, Rey put it in her bag for later. ‘Thank you so much for the food and the wonderful company.’  
‘The pleasure was all ours, dear,’ said Pooja, embracing her warmly, followed by Ryoo. ‘Thank you so much for coming to see us.’  
‘Even if you took your time!’ grinned Ryoo.  
‘Next time, I’ll make sure to check with Ben where I’m supposed to be.’  
The two sisters smiled cryptically at each other, ‘Why not just bring him with you next time?’  
There was a loud beep from outside and BB8 chattered in alarm.  
‘Yes, BB8, that’s us,’ said Rey, ‘we better be on our way.’  
Ryoo and Pooja saw her to the door, waving goodbye as she hurried out of the house and along the path to see the speeder waiting for her outside the gates, waiting to take her back to Cassarta.  
By the time Rey arrived back at the town, it was starting to grow dark as the sun vanished behind the mountains. After helping BB8 out of the speeder, she thanked the pilot and paid him for the journey to Varykin.   
‘Are you free tomorrow?’  
‘I am, yes,’ he said warmly, peering up at her through his goggles. ‘Why, d’you want to book me again?’  
‘Yes, please. I need someone to take me and BB8 to look at more of the islands around here.’  
‘I can take you around the whole region,’ said the pilot hesitantly, ‘but it would take up the whole day…’  
‘That would be perfect,’ said Rey happily, ‘if you can spare the whole day?’  
‘Sure!’ The pilot couldn’t believe his luck. Tourist traffic had been slow in recent years. It had not really got going again following the war against the First Order, despite the royal government doing all they could to promote tourism across on the HoloNet. ‘I’d be happy to show you around, I used to do tours for visitors until things began to drop off a bit.’  
After negotiating a suitable price and agreeing on a time for pick-up, Rey bid the pilot good evening and went back to the hostelry with BB8, feeling buoyed up by her experiences. It had been wonderful to meet the two sisters, giving her a connection to the Skywalker’s past that she never would have encountered had it not been for Ben’s note.  
Entering the hostelry, she could hear two people talking in the downstairs sitting room, Solana and a new, male, voice, she didn’t recognise. Going up to her room, she deposited her bag and her jacket, and went back down, leaving BB8 behind to have a well-earned rest. In the sitting room, she found that the voice belonged to a new visitor who had arrived that afternoon to stay for a few days. The newcomer was an older man, named Rakin Galletry, who Solana introduced Rey to before she disappeared off to start preparing their evening meal. Sat next to a blazing fire in the grate - the sparks floating up the chimney as the wind picked up outside - with cups of tea in their hands, Rey and Rakin got to know each other.  
‘So, what do you do, Rey?’   
Rakin was from Chandrila, and had been working in the bureaucracy there until relatively recently. Having come into some money after one of his relatives had passed away, he had decided to ditch his job and travel around the galaxy, fulfilling his lifetime’s dream. ‘I wasn’t bored of Chandrila,’ he explained to her as the fire hissed and crackled beside them, ‘but nothing much happens there. And I’d never been able to afford to go off world before, so when I did come into some money, I decided to see some of the planets that I’ve dreamed about ever since I was a boy.’  
Listening carefully, Rey could sense that Rakin was an honest and gentle man. In his sixties, he was quiet and un-assuming, softly spoken, and quite shy. He was not handsome, rather plain in appearance, but he had a lively and expressive way of speaking that belied his emotional depths, and brightened up his face. Rey sensed that he needed lots of encouragement to come out of his shell, which would no doubt be helped by Solana’s warmth and kindness.   
‘So, what do you do, Rey?’  
‘A few things,’ said Rey, not sure how to describe herself. ’Until recently I was helping Poe Dameron to restore the Jedi archives…’  
‘What? Chancellor Poe Dameron?’ Rakin looked at her in amazement. ‘You’re that Rey? I’m so sorry, I didn’t think…’  
‘It’s okay,’ said Rey, trying not to laugh at his expression, ‘I’d rather you didn’t. I’m not really a celebrity or anything…’  
‘But you are!’ insisted Rakin, sitting up in his chair. ‘I’ve heard all about you and the Resistance against the First Order! You fought with Leia Organa, with Generals Dameron and Danu! You defeated the mighty Kylo Ren on Starkiller…’  
‘Oh great,’ sighed Rey over-dramatically, looking into the fire. ‘Now you’re gonna have a load of expectations about me that I can’t live up too!’  
‘I promise I won’t have any expectations,’ laughed Rakin, understanding her concerns. ‘Although, allow me to say that from what I know about you, I’m impressed. There’s not many young women who’ve achieved so much in such a short time.’  
‘I was following in some pretty big footsteps,’ said Rey humbly, wondering how she might deflect attention away from herself. ‘Leia Organa was my mentor before she passed away.’  
‘Ah, she was an amazing woman. Living on Chandrila, I was fortunate to see her speak a couple of times. Such an inspiration she was to me! But down to earth too, you’d never have known she was a Princess. I remember walking past her once,’ he went on, lost in a memory. ‘I was out on the pier, next to the ocean, and she came along, with her son and her husband, Han Solo I think his name was. The three of them looked so normal, as if they were any other family. But of course they weren’t.’ He paused and looked into the fire, ‘It’s so sad what happened to them. Losing their son like that.’  
Rey had always wondered what the galaxy knew about Leia and Han’s tragedy, but she didn’t want to dredge it up again. So she said, ’Where else are you visiting, after Naboo?’  
‘Er… Coruscant, Batuu, Corellia and Mon Cala are on my list,’ he replied, brightening up a little. ‘I had planned for more but I think most of my credits will have run out by then. If there’s any left, I’d like to go to Riosa too.’  
‘Why those planets?’  
‘Mostly, I’m just curious,’ he admitted, ‘but I’m going to Batuu because Dakk was from there.’  
‘Who’s Dakk?’  
‘Sorry, I should explain. Dakk is… Dakk was the only person I’ve ever been in love with,’ he said softly, his eyes fixed on the fire. ‘I met him when I was in my twenties, he’d come to Chandrila to find work and get away from the criminal gangs on Batuu. They’re dominant there and he didn’t want anything to do with them. I fell in love with him as soon as I saw him. He was so beautiful, with dark brown hair and the most beautiful brown eyes I’d ever seen.’ Rakin blushed, ‘It was so hard working with him, we were put onto the same project and I spent most of the first few weeks in a daze, unable to believe that we had been put together.’  
‘Did he know?’  
‘What? That I fancied him? Oh, I’m sure he did but he was always nice about it. Then, one day, he asked me if I wanted to go for a drink with him after work. I couldn’t believe my luck! We got talking and found out that we had lots in common, and after that we became inseparable.’  
‘You talk about him as though he’s in the past,’ Rey observed, seeing great sadness in Rakin’s eyes.  
‘That’s because he is,’ said Rakin, heaving a heartfelt sigh. ‘He was travelling to see his family and the ship he was on got caught up between an Imperial Star Destroyer and some smugglers. And that… that was the end of him.’  
‘I’m sorry,’ said Rey, knowing that her words counted for very little. She could still feel the pain resonating from him, despite the number of years that had elapsed.  
‘I’ve never found anyone else who could replace him,’ continued Rakin, turning back to her. ‘I tried, but I always found some way to sabotage the relationship. I couldn’t go through a loss like that again.’  
‘So you stayed alone?’  
‘Yes.’ He nodded. ‘But it suits me. I’m happy in my own company. Though, obviously,’ he added hastily, hoping he had not offended her, ‘I like talking to other people too.’  
‘Don’t worry, I know what you mean.’  
There was silence as they sat together quietly for a while, listening to the crackle of the fire, and the roar of the wind down the chimney.  
‘What about you?’ asked Rakin eventually, ‘do you have a partner? Or does the Jedi Code still forbid you from falling in love?’  
‘Technically it does,’ admitted Rey, ‘or it would if there was a Jedi Order to enforce it. But since I’m also technically the last Jedi, I’m free to change the definition of what counts as an attachment.’  
‘So you do have someone?’  
‘Yes.’  
‘And you love each other?’  
‘Yes, very much,’ she replied, playing with the tassels on one of the cushions next to her. ‘We’re apart at the moment but we hope to be together soon.’  
‘But he’s not a Jedi?’  
‘He was trained as Jedi, but he wouldn’t call himself one. Like me, he doesn’t entirely agree with the way in which the Jedi Order interpreted the Force.’  
‘I wouldn’t even begin to understand what it means to be a Jedi,’ Rakin started to say before he was distracted by the door opening. Looking up, he saw Solana was coming back into the room. ‘Oh hello.’  
‘Tea’s ready,’ said their hostess pleasantly, glad to see that her two guests were getting along. ‘You can have it in here, or in the dining room if you prefer?’  
‘Let’s sit at the table,’ suggested Rakin, starting to get up. ‘I’m terrible at juggling plates and cutlery on these chairs!’  
Moving to the dining room, Rey passed an entertaining evening with Solana and Rakin. After a wholesome and hearty meal, they kept each other amused over pudding with interesting stories about their exploits when they were younger. Rey told them about the time she unwittingly invented ‘dune surfing’; on the run from a particularly vicious gang of scavengers, she had been forced to improvise with what she had, using a large, flat sheet of metal (a panel from an old X-Wing fighter) to slide down the dunes far faster than if she had been on foot. Despite trying to tell it in a light-hearted manner, it had prompted a more serious discussion about the perils of a scavenger’s life, and by the time Rey was ready to go to bed, both Solana and Rakin regarded her with even greater admiration, knowing that she came from such a harsh and violent background.  
Back in her room, Rey was climbing into bed when she remembered that she had not opened the mysterious packet that the Naberrie sisters had given her earlier. Taking it from her bag, she sat down on the bed, undid the ribbon and opened up the square of fabric. Inside it, she found a small oval disc of metal that was attached to a long, thin chain. There was a tiny catch on it, and she just managed to open it up with her nail. Inside were two pictures, a young boy with blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes, just like Anakin Skywalker, and a young girl with dark hair and dark eyes, the image of her mother. Instinctively, Rey knew that the pictures were of Luke and Leia, Padme’s children. Thinking it was pretty, she went to pick up the fabric to wrap it back up again when a piece of paper fell out, onto the floor. Scooping it up, she opened it to find it was a note, two words scribbled onto it; ’Skywalker homestead.’   
It was Ben’s writing, and she wondered what the larger purpose of his clues were. At first, she thought he had wanted her to follow in his footsteps, to understand what he had been doing whilst they had been apart. But it dawned on her that this was not his intention. Instead, he was taking her to places connected to his family. Maybe that was it, maybe he wanted her to understand better the history and legacy from which he came. The legacy that he had once tried to deny and bury inside him, except for its worst aspects, the darkness that had first consumed Anakin, and then tried to consume him.  
Weariness came over her, and she lay down, putting the locket next to her bed for safe-keeping. After her vision of Anakin and Padme, and the conversation with Rakin, she felt strangely lonely, missing Ben and longing to see him again. Closing her eyes, she reached out with the Force, wondering if she could locate him on the webs of life that stretched far across the galaxy. But she only felt the whispers of others around her and eventually she fell asleep, tired out by her mental exertions.  
The next morning, at breakfast, Rakin asked Rey what she was doing for the day.   
‘I’ve hired a speeder to have a look at some of the islands around here,’ she told him as she ate her favourite meal of pancakes and syrup. ‘The pilot’s promised to give me a bit of a tour.’  
‘Sounds good.’  
Rey had a sudden brainwave. ‘Why don’t you come along?’  
‘What? No, I couldn’t possibly.’  
‘Why not?’ She thought it might be good to have some company that didn’t communicate in bleeps and sarcastic quips. ‘Have you already made plans?’  
‘Kind of,’ Rakin admitted, ‘I was just going to have a look around the town.’   
‘Oh okay.’ Trying not to feel disappointed, Rey crammed a few more bits of pancake into her mouth and washed them down with some fruit tea. ‘Well, the offer’s open. If you want to come, we’re leaving in about 20 minutes.’  
Rakin thought it over. It did sound more interesting than what he had planned to do. ’Are you sure?’  
‘Yes, otherwise I wouldn’t ask!’ laughed Rey, ‘I could do with the company, as well as another pair of eyes…’  
Beneath the table, BB8 bleeped crossly.  
‘Yes I know you’ve got eyes,’ said Rey to the droid, ‘but I was thinking of human eyes.’  
‘Okay, I’m in,’ said Rakin, tickled by Rey’s mixture of confidence and vulnerability, but also amazed that the Jedi and Resistance hero was asking him to spend time with her, rather than the other way around. ‘Perhaps Solana can make us a picnic?’  
Solana readily agreed, and twenty minutes later, they were both climbing into the speeder, along with BB8, for a tour of the Lake Country. As they sped along the valleys, Rey told Rakin that she was looking for potential locations to rebuild the Jedi Order, places where she could train a few students at the same time as thinking about how best the Jedi could serve the galaxy. The older man was more impressed than ever with Rey’s determination, telling her that she made him feel like he had done nothing useful in his life.  
‘Oh, I wouldn’t say that,’ Rey assured him, remembering the gardener in the memorial gardens. ‘Leia told me that it wasn’t always the big, grand gestures that were important, but the small acts of kindness, love and generosity that keep the light, and hope, alive.’  
‘I like that sentiment,’ agreed Rakin, ‘it gives everyone a chance to contribute in their own small way.’  
‘I agree,’ said Rey evenly, ‘we can’t all be heroes.’  
‘Some of us would never want to be.’  
‘Including me!’ laughed Rey as they came out of a narrow pass and into a beautiful valley, at its centre a blue, sparkling lake, dotted with islands. ‘I didn’t mean to end up here, it was only by accident that I found out I was strong in the Force.’  
‘I doubt it was an accident,’ frowned Rakin, ‘the Force has ways of making its will come to pass.’  
‘Do you believe in the Force?’  
‘Yes, I do,’ said Rakin, admiring the view as they flew over the lake towards one of the larger islands. ‘There’s too many things that happen which don’t seem to be caused by chance. Do you get what I mean?’  
‘I do.’  
‘I’ve not always believed in it though,’ he went on, reminded by what they had been talking about the previous day. ‘After I lost Dakk, I went into a really dark place. It took me a long time to get out of there. Everything seemed pointless. There seemed to be no order in the galaxy, no logic.’ He sighed, ‘Then, around the same time, the First Order appeared. It put things into perspective for me. If I gave into my anger and hate, I was no better than them.’  
‘The same thing happened to my friend,’ said Rey quietly. ‘He was in love with someone, but they were cruelly taken away from him. He was lost to the darkness for a long time.’  
‘But he came back?’  
Rey nodded. ‘It took something equally extreme to get him back, but he made it in the end.’  
‘And that’s why he can’t see himself as a Jedi?’  
Rey could see that Rakin was perceptive. ‘You’re right. He’ll always be tainted by the dark side.’  
The sun glinted on the locket around her neck, and Rakin looked at it with interest. ‘Were you wearing that last night?’  
‘This?’ Rey fingered the chain around her neck. ‘No, I got it when I went to Varykino yesterday. My friend left it there for me.’   
‘It’s pretty.’  
‘Look,’ Rey opened it up to show him the two pictures inside. ‘It’s Padme Naberrie’s children, Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa.’  
‘The Senator? She was Leia Organa’s mother?’  
‘Yes, although they both had to go into hiding to keep them from their father, Anakin Skywalker…’  
‘Ah, that rings a bell. There was that scandal, when Leia’s father was revealed as Darth Vader in the Senate.’ He looked at her curiously, ‘Are you connected to the Skywalkers somehow? Their daughter, their niece?’  
‘Oh no, nothing like that,’ Rey reassured him. ‘As I said, Leia was my mentor, and Luke gave me some Jedi training…’  
‘What about this friend of yours?’  
‘Oh, er…’  
‘It’s okay, you don’t have to tell me. I’m just being nosy.’ He smiled at her, ‘It’s just so interesting to meet someone who’s not only a hero themselves but has met most of the Rebellion heroes too. Next you’ll be telling me that you’ve met Han Solo and Lando Calrissian….’  
‘Well, um…’  
‘Right, okay! That’s me cancelled,’ he said, sighing dramatically. ‘I’m not fit to be in your presence!’  
‘There’s nothing special about any of them,’ maintained Rey, ‘although maybe Leia and Lando… definitely not Han.’  
‘Man, I bet it was something being in the Resistance. I’m almost jealous. Well, apart from the war part obviously.’  
‘We’re coming up on Lake Vyrnwry now.’ It was the pilot, telling them that they had reached their first destination.  
They spent the morning and afternoon travelling from island to island, the pilot telling them interesting facts about each one. Most of the islands were uninhabited, except for the occasional isolated cottage and artist commune. In a low barn, they watched expert craftsmen blowing glass into different shapes and forms, the colours sparkling brightly in the firelight. Entranced by their work, Rey purchased a small vase, the swirling blues and greens within the glass reflecting, in her mind, the surrounding scenery. Later on, their ate their picnic by the side of an abandoned building; reclaimed by nature, there was a large tree growing out of its domed roof, the windows covered in trailing leaves and bright flowers. Rey told Rakin and the pilot, whose name was Salin, about her plans for building a Jedi Temple, hoping to re-use an existing building as far as possible.  
‘Something like this,’ she said, peering up at the building.  
‘It’s a good idea,’ nodded Salin, ‘but you know about the creatures don’t you?’  
‘What creatures?’  
It turned out that there were large creatures living in the depths of the lake, and in most of the lakes on Naboo, some of which had been known to come out and try to eat people.   
‘It’s the main reason why no one lives here anymore,’ the pilot explained to a very surprised Rey and Rakin, ‘although, on some of the other islands they have developed technology to keep the creatures at bay.’  
‘That’s a shame,’ said Rey, who was not able to look at the Lake Country in the same way afterwards.  
By the time they got back to Cassarta it was late evening. After thanking Salin for his tour, Rey headed back to the hostelry with Rakin, realising with some sadness that her time on Naboo was coming to an end. Although she didn’t have to leave, she felt it important to keep the momentum going, mainly to ensure that she didn’t get distracted from her main purpose. Ben’s clues were already distracting her enough.  
After a warm and comforting meal, she stayed up for a long time beside the fire with Solana and Rakin, talking about their hopes for the future. By the time she crawled into bed, she was more than ready enough for a good sleep, but, like the previous night, she tried reaching out to Ben first through the Force. This time, she was certain that she grasped something familiar, a turbulent, shifting maelstrom centred around a core of pure light. It was only fleeting but she fell asleep happy, certain that she was getting closer to wherever he was hiding.   
The next morning, she woke up early. Instead of going out for a run as usual she sat in bed, looking at an atlas that she had borrowed from Solana.  
‘What do you think, BB8? Where should we go next? Tatooine?’  
BB8 bleeped positively.  
‘You’d be interested to see it?’ After listening to the droid a little more, she added, ’I don’t think it’s much different to Jakku, although the settlements are larger and there’s more travellers. There’s probably the same amount of crime!’  
BB8 bleeped unenthusiastically.  
‘I know, but maybe that’s why we should go there.’ Rey was getting more and more convinced that it wasn’t such a strange idea after all. ‘The Jedi might be far more helpful somewhere like Tatooine than Naboo, where it’s mostly peaceful.’   
Tatooine was not on her list, and she wondered if she was getting distracted by the clues that Ben was leaving for her. But, on the other hand, she might miss the next clue if she didn’t go there, and she was enjoying learning more about the Skywalkers. It was helping her to understand Leia, Luke and Ben a little more, to see the diverse personalities and experiences that had shaped their legacy, both consciously and unconsciously.  
BB8 beeped again.  
‘Yes, you’re right,’ she said, shutting the atlas decisively. ‘It won’t hurt to go there, will it? It’s good to see what other planets might offer. And I would like to see where Luke grew up.’ Just like her, he had grown up on a backwater planet, scratching for survival in the harsh conditions of the desert. Like her, adventure had called to him on the cusp of adulthood. There were too many parallels for it not to be a coincidence.  
Getting dressed, Rey and BB8 went downstairs to find Solana and Rakin having breakfast. Joining them, Rey told them about her plans to go to Tatooine.  
‘Interesting choice,’ said Rakin, shovelling in another mouthful of food.  
‘Not exactly the green oasis I thought you were after,’ frowned Solana.  
Rey shrugged. ‘I just worry that I’m looking in the wrong places. What if the Jedi need to be somewhere more challenging?’  
‘And Tatooine is certainly a challenging place,’ nodded Solana. ‘You take care of yourself, Rey.’  
Saying goodbye to Solana and Rakin, Rey and BB8 went to catch the passenger shuttle that would take her back to Theed. As it sped back to the city, she took the vase out of her bag to have another look at it, turning it in the light to catch the colours. When BB8 bleeped appreciatively, she smiled at how even a droid could find beauty in simple things. ‘It is lovely, isn’t it?’ She was just about to say that it would look great on her shelf when she realised that technically, she didn’t own that shelf anymore. ‘I wonder where we’ll end up,’ she said rhetorically to BB8, tingles of anxiety unsettling her tummy.  
By the time Rey and BB8 got back to the Falcon, she was ready to start the next part of their journey.   
‘I’ve missed you, old friend,’ she said to the ship as she went up the boarding ramp, patting the hydraulic ramp fondly.  
Intrigued by her actions, BB8 asked if ships were sentient in the same way that droids were.  
‘I don’t know,’ she admitted, putting her bag down. ‘Ben thinks that they are.’  
BB8 questioned Ben’s reliability when it came to ships, considering his father’s attachment to the very freighter they were in.  
‘True! Anyway, let’s get things warmed up shall we?’ Rey took her seat and it was not long before the familiar hum of the engines filled her ears. Turning her attention to the navicomp, she tried to remember where Luke’s childhood home was. ‘Was it Mos Espa? Or was it Anchorhead?’   
Anchorhead.  
Rey had no idea where the suggestion came from, but it seemed a good place to start her search so she programmed the navicomp accordingly.


	20. Skywalker's past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey arrives on Anchorhead, looking for the Skywalker's farm. After much discussion with the local townspeople, she finds out that she is actually looking for the Lars' farm, which sets her off in the right direction. A chance encounter with a young boy reveals that he is the son of the present owners, who welcome Rey warmly to their home. They tell Rey how they came to own the farm, and she is not surprised to learn (by now) that Ben had a hand in it. Another gift from Ben suggests that she should visit Corellia, and that becomes her next destination. A catch-up with Finn and Rose reveals that Kyp Dala, her friend from Exegol, is also on Corellia.

Arriving at Anchorhead after an uneventful journey, Rey found herself in a small, grimy settlement that lay on the edges of a vast desert. The buildings were little more than huts made out of mud and clay, smoothed and shaped into cube-like structures, then baked and bleached by the strong sunlight. Like Niima Outpost, it was populated mostly with local tradespeople, moisture farmers and market dwellers, bar the occasional visitor or traveller (who had mistaken it for one of the larger settlements like Mos Espa or Mos Eisley). BB8 was glad to see a few droids, their mechanisms whining from the sheer amount of sand in their joints, working alongside their organic counterparts, which attracted the inevitable Jawas. Rey’s arrival into a mostly humdrum scene therefore caused a stir, not least for the lightsaber she carried on her belt, and soon she had all manner of locals gathered about her, trying to help her find the Skywalker homestead.  
‘I’ve not heard of a Skywalker having a homestead around here,’ said one old woman, who was dressed in a variety of long shawls and tunics to keep out the sun. Scratching her chin, she went on, ‘I wonder if you mean Lars?’  
‘Who’s Lars?’ Rey was confused. Perhaps she had come to the wrong place.  
‘No, there was a Skywalker,’ said another man with dark skin, his face hidden underneath an overlarge, floppy hat. ‘What was his name? Young fellow? Blonde hair?’  
‘Oh yes, he used to hang out at Tosche’s,’ grunted another man, his age uncertain. Like everyone else, his face was deeply tanned and marked from constant exposure to the sun. ‘With Biggs and that lot.’  
‘You mean Luke?’ asked Rey, tremulously. Finally she was getting somewhere.  
‘Yes that’s it. Luke Skywalker. I remember him. Dreamy lad. Head always in the clouds.’  
‘That sounds like him.’ So that’s where Ben got it from.  
‘He lived with his Aunt and Uncle out near the Jundland Wastes,’ remembered the old woman, ‘wasn’t he the Lars?’  
‘Yes,’ nodded the man without the hat, turning back to Rey. ‘What d’you want with the place anyway?’  
She ignored his tone, hoping that he didn’t mean to be as rude as he sounded. ‘I knew Luke before he passed away. I wanted to come and see where he grew up.’  
‘He passed away, you say?’ The woman looked sad, ‘He had a good end?’  
‘Peaceful,’ said Rey, ‘doing what he loved best. Helping others.’  
There was a moment of silence as the group bowed their heads in remembrance of Luke.  
‘He was a good lad,’ said the man wearing a hat, ‘When I heard what he did for the Rebellion against the Empire…’  
‘He was called by destiny,’ agreed the woman.  
‘Although you wouldn’t have thought it when he was younger.’ The man without a hat couldn’t resist a smirk.  
‘Hey,’ said the woman, smacking his arm. ‘You’ll not speak ill of Luke around here.’ She looked at Rey kindly, ‘How did you know him?’  
‘Through the Resistance against the First Order,’ said Rey, beginning to feel the effects of the sun beating down on the back of her head. She needed to get into the shade. ‘I was honoured to be his final Jedi student.’  
‘Ah, that explains the lightsaber,’ said the man in the floppy hat, regarding it with interest.  
‘Of course she’s a Jedi,’ scolded the woman, smiling at Rey conspiratorially. ‘I knew it as soon as I saw her. It’s in the way she moves.’  
‘Do you need a hat, my dear?’ asked the man without a hat, who owned the market stall next to them. ‘You’re starting to look a little pink across the nose there.’  
‘I do actually.’ Digging out her purse, she chose a fetching straw sunhat with a long veil that would protect her neck out in the desert. Because he liked her so much, the man gave her a hefty discount, and threw in a water bottle at the same time, which he insisted on filling up for her. Whilst this was going on, the other members of the group drifted back to their own tasks, pleased to have had a reason, however fleeting, to share their memories of the past.  
With BB8 in tow, Rey headed out into the desert in the rough direction of the Lars moisture farm. The man who had sold her the hat told her that it was on the Great Chott salt flats, at the edge of the Jundland Wastes. There was not much to see, except for the occasional moisture vaporator, many of which had seen better days. Rey was grateful for BB8’s company, the droid keeping up a barrage of interesting commentary and questions, that stopped Rey from getting too overwhelmed by the featureless-ness of the surrounding desert.  
Eventually, she saw a young man in the distance, wearing a white tunic and trousers and the ubiquitous desert wraps around his legs, working on one of the vaporators. At a glance, she could see that he was younger than her, probably in his teens. An ancient-looking X-34 land-speeder, battered and pitted from the harsh conditions, was parked nearby and Rey smiled faintly, reminded of her much younger self.  
‘Hello there!’ she called out when she was close enough for him to hear her.  
Startled, the boy looked up, dropping his wrench in surprise. It was clear he was not used to seeing strangers in the desert. ‘How… how can I help you?’  
‘I’m looking for the Lars’ moisture farm,’ she explained, coming over. ‘Do you know where it is?’  
‘Yes but you’re miles away,’ the boy said, looking at her, and at BB8, with amused interest.  
‘Oh, I asked some of the people in town where it was and they said it was this way.’ Rey couldn’t help feeling down-hearted.  
‘Well, you’ve gone wrong somewhere.’ The boy fiddled with the wrench in his hand, clearly curious but also suspicious. ‘Why are you looking for it?’  
‘I used to know someone who lived there. I’m curious to see it.’  
‘Who?’  
‘Luke Skywalker.’  
‘What, the Jedi Knight?’  
‘Yes.’ Rey indicated the lightsaber on her belt, and the boy gasped in surprise. ‘He trained me to be a Jedi.’  
That seemed to be the key to opening up the boy’s help. ‘I’ll take you there,’ he readily agreed, ‘once I’ve finished fixing this. My parents own the farm now. I think it used to be owned by someone called Cliegg Lars but I can’t remember. My dad will know more, he’s obsessed with its history.’  
Turning his attention back to the vaporator, the boy started bashing at it with the wrench, which immediately made Rey, and BB8, flinch in sympathy.  
‘Here, let me help you,’ she suggested, ‘I know a little bit about machines.’ When the boy stopped what he was doing, Rey studied the vaporator closely, seeing the problem immediately. ‘The connection into the condenser’s been eroded. You’ll need to replace it.’  
The boy came round to have a look. ‘Oh yeah,’ he said, embarrassed that he had missed it. ‘I didn’t see that. We’ll have to go back to get a new one, so, come on.’ Gathering his tools together, he went over to the speeder, indicating that Rey and BB8 should follow him. ‘My name’s Rafe,’ said the young man, climbing into the pilot seat. ‘What’s your name?’  
‘It’s Rey,’ she said, climbing into the seat beside him, with BB8 having to sit on her lap. ‘And this is BB8.’  
The droid bleeped politely.  
‘And you’re a Jedi?’ The speeder’s engine roared into life and they sped off across the desert; like most teenagers, Rafe drove very fast.  
‘Yes,’ Rey shouted back. The engine had been calibrated poorly and it was making an awful noise.  
‘You ever fought with a lightsaber?’  
‘Yes, several times.’  
‘Wow - I can’t believe you’re a real Jedi! I can’t wait to tell all my friends.’  
Rey laughed to herself, reminded of the young people she had met on Exegol. They had also been obsessed with her lightsaber, possibly the least important aspect of being a Jedi in her mind.  
In the distance she could see a dome-topped building appearing, surrounded by vaporator towers and supply tanks, the only indication that a farm was located in this part of the desert. ‘Is that the farm?’ she asked as they drew closer.  
‘Yes,’ he yelled back, starting to slow down, a little bit too late for Rey’s liking. Screeching to a halt, soon they were parked outside the farm and Rey climbed out, putting BB8 down on the ground. She followed Rafe inside the entrance dome and down some stairs into the large, open courtyard at the heart of the moisture farm.  
‘Mum? Dad? We’ve got a visitor.’  
‘In here, son.’  
Rafe took Rey into the kitchen, a cool, narrow space off of the dining room, where function was clearly more important than aesthetics. Rows and rows of storage space kept food fresh, away from the spoliation effects of the sun.  
‘This is Rey,’ Rafe said to his parents, who were busy preparing the midday meal, chopping vegetables into a large pot. ‘She’s a Jedi who used to know Luke Skywalker.’  
Both of them stopped what they were doing, staring at Rey.  
‘Come again,’ said the man, putting down the knife he was holding. ‘You knew Luke Skywalker?’  
‘Yes.’  
‘And you’re a Jedi?’  
‘Yes.’  
The man looked over at his wife with a cross between a confused and excited expression. ‘Surely this can’t be a coincidence!’  
‘I hope you don’t mind me turning up like this, I was interested to see where Luke lived when he was younger,’ she explained, somewhat apologetically. ‘If it’s not convenient…’  
‘No, no, it’s fine,’ said Rafe’s father, smiling at her warmly. ‘We’d be more than happy to show you around. I mean, as you can imagine, visitors here a rarity! I’m Rance by the way, and this is Kyra.’  
‘Hello,’ said Kyra, smiling at Rey in welcome.  
‘And you’ve already met our son, Rafe.’ Turning to the teenager he said, ‘Show our guest into the sitting room, will you?’  
‘Of course, Dad…’  
As Rey made to follow the boy, Rance asked her, ’Do you like tea?’  
‘Yes but… I don’t want to get in the way,’ Rey began to say but Rance shook his head.  
‘Don’t worry, you’re not in the way. We don’t mind, do we Kyra?’  
‘No of course not,’ she smiled, getting some cups down from a shelf. ‘As Rance said, we hardly have any visitors out here. It’s a treat for us!’  
Rey followed Rafe into the sitting room, which was decorated in simple whites and greys. There was not much furniture; two couches and two armchairs for sitting, and a low table for serving food and drinks. Several small, badly-made sculptures of animals sat on the functional sideboard to the side, and there was the ubiquitous screen hanging up on the far wall. Whilst Rafe took a seat, Rey looked around, finding herself intrigued by the sculptures. ‘What are these?’  
‘Those?’ Getting up again, Rafe came over to look, ‘Er, they’re banthas.’  
Rey picked up the creature; it was modelled roughly in clay, a brown body with marks made on it to look like a long, shaggy coat. Over-large horns had been stuck to the animal’s face, which wore a comical expression, as if surprised to find itself alive. ‘So that’s what a bantha looks like.’  
‘I made them,’ said Rafe, not sure whether to be proud of the fact or not.  
‘You did? They’re um… realistic?’ Rey was uncertain what word to use.  
‘Haven’t you ever seen a bantha?’ Rafe looked at her in exasperation. ‘Everyone knows what a bantha looks like.’  
‘I don’t.’  
‘Looking at Rafe’s artworks I see?’ said Rance as he came into the room, bearing a tray with several cups of tea on it. ‘We’re very proud of those, as you might be able to tell.’  
‘Dad!’ sighed Rance, blushing bright red.  
‘Pride of place,’ teased Kyra, mussing her son’s hair fondly.  
‘They’re very cute,’ said Rey, putting the creature back down on the sideboard, and going to take a seat on one of the smaller couches.  
‘So,’ said Rance, taking a cup of tea from the tray and gesturing for Rey to do the same. ‘What can we tell you about this place? Well, um, Kyra’s relative Cliegg used to own it, he originally came here from Corellia with his son Owen, looking for a new life after his wife died. He’d always wanted to be a farmer and he found this old place abandoned…’  
‘It was abandoned because of the conflicts with the Sand People,’ Kyra explained.  
‘Who are the Sand People?’ asked Rey.  
‘They’re local tribes, the Tusken Raiders, native to Tatooine,’ explained Rance. ‘They live out in the most isolated parts of the desert with their bantha herds.’  
‘No one knows if they’re human or not,’ added Kyra, ‘they hide their faces, their hands, their entire bodies under wraps. Even the children.’  
‘There’s always been conflict between the tribes and the settlers,’ said Rance. ‘Although it’s better now, it was particularly bad at the time Cliegg moved here. But he did up the farm, got it going again and made a life for himself here.’  
‘So he wasn’t related to the Skywalkers in any way?’ Rey was still confused about Luke’s relationship with the farm.  
‘Not that we know about. The only relationship he had was through his second wife, Shmi. She was a Skywalker.’  
Shmi… The name seemed familiar somehow, although she couldn’t place it.  
‘We don’t know much about Shmi, but the story goes that her son was a very powerful Jedi, the Chosen One.’  
‘Anakin Skywalker?’  
‘That’s it. Talking to people in the town, we uncovered a tragedy,’ said Kyra, pouring Rey another cup of tea. ‘Shmi and Cliegg had been married for a while when the conflicts with the Tuskens came to a head. One day, she was taken whilst out in the desert.’  
‘Why?’  
‘Nobody knows. Sometimes the Tuskens take humans as slaves or to trade with other tribes, but this tribe apparently weren’t known for it. Anyway, Cliegg and some of the famers went to try and find her, but they were violently attacked by one of the tribes and Cliegg lost his leg. Then, reports vary but according to one of the old women locally, Anakin came to find his mother, but found her dead. He retaliated by wiping out all of the tribes in a single night. They kept away from this area for years afterwards.’  
‘So sad,’ whispered Rey, still feeling traces of agony on the Force, the unsettling events that permeated the desert around the homestead.  
‘No-one really knows why Luke was brought here when his mother died, but it’s probably because of the connection with Shmi. At least, that’s what Ben thinks.’  
‘Ben?’ The mention of his name made Rey feel funny inside. She had been waiting to find out how he was connected to the story.  
‘Luke’s nephew,’ explained Rance, ‘he’s the one that told us Luke was brought up here.’  
‘By Owen and Beru, Cliegg’s son and his wife,’ said Kyra, looking over at Rafe, who was starting to look bored. ‘The relationship’s a bit tangled, but from what I can gather, Cliegg was gone by then, and Luke called them his his aunt and uncle. They had a bit of a strained relationship by all accounts, but Owen and Beru loved him dearly.’  
‘Luke was well known in the local town as a bit of a dreamer, as well as a promising pilot,’ said Rance, to which Rey readily nodded.  
‘Yes, they did say that.’  
‘Than, after Owen and Beru were murdered by Imperials, this place was abandoned for many years. No one wanted to live here. It was thought to be haunted.’  
‘How long have you been here?’ asked Rey, intrigued. She hadn’t felt anything off about the place, quite the opposite in fact. It felt homely, safe, despite, or perhaps because of, the barren surroundings.  
‘Two years, more or less,’ said Kyra. ‘But the circumstances for coming here were quite strange. We were actually living on Corellia before this, where the rest of the Lars family are still based. Then, out of the blue, we were contacted by Ben, who said that he had renovated the farm, and did we want to take it on? I don’t know how he found us, but he knew that we were the closest surviving relatives of Cliegg and Owen.’  
‘It was strange because we were looking to re-locate,’ said Rance, ‘although Ben couldn’t have known that. It came just at the right time.’  
‘You said Ben renovated it?’ asked Rey. It was hint at what he’d been up to since they’d been separated.  
‘Yes, it was just like this when we got here,’ said Kyra, ‘in perfect condition. We’d been told it was too ruinous to do anything with but Ben proved us wrong.’  
‘We tried to give him something for it, but he refused,’ said Rance, clearly still puzzled by the whole series of events. ‘It seemed to be enough for him that we were here, living in it.’  
‘That sounds like Ben,’ said Rey to herself.  
‘You know him?’ asked Rance, catching her comment.  
‘Of course she does,’ frowned Kyra, before Rey could say anything. ‘Remember, he told us all about her.’ She turned back to Rey, a mischievous smile on her face. ’He mentioned that you might come here.’  
‘He did?’  
‘Oh, that was Rey? I’d forgotten about that,’ admitted Rance, getting up to stretch his legs. Used to a life outdoors, he found it difficult to stay seated for more than a few minutes.  
‘So, Rey, apart from being a Jedi, what else do you do?’ asked Kyra, keeping her attention focused on the young woman.  
‘I’ve just finished working on a project at the Jedi temple on Coruscant,’ she explained, ‘and now I’m looking for a base to start my own Jedi Order.’  
‘That’s a good thing to do,’ said Rance, ‘but I don’t imagine you’re gonna be doing that on Tatooine, right?’  
‘No, it was curiosity that brought me here,’ admitted Rey. ‘I was thinking of somewhere greener, with more abundant supplies of water.’  
‘I don’t blame you,’ said Kyra, ‘I mean, Tatooine is our home now but I understand it’s not for everyone. Where are you from, Rey?’  
‘I’m from Jakku, which is not very different to Tatooine,’ said Rey, finishing her tea and putting her cup back onto the tray. ‘I wouldn’t want to go back there.’  
‘I don’t know much about Jakku,’ said Rance, pouring himself some more tea from the pot. ‘Isn’t that where the final battle was between the Republic and the Empire?’  
‘Yes. The remains were left all over the planet. I was a scavenger, looking for parts to trade with the junk dealers who ran the markets.’  
‘A difficult job in a harsh environment,’ said Kyra, looking at her sympathetically. ‘You’ve done well to get where you are.’  
‘It was hard yes,’ Rey acknowledged, ‘but it taught me how to be resourceful, and how to fix things. Almost everything there was broken.’  
‘Did you always know you were strong in the Force?’  
‘No. I had no idea. I mean, looking back there were times when odd things happened to me and I didn’t know why. But it was only when I met Ben that I realised I had similar powers to his. Then I found out we were connected through the Force and it started to make sense.’  
‘I don’t really know much about the Force,’ admitted Kyra, ‘but I used to love listening to stories about the Jedi when I was younger. It’s good to know that you’re going to bring them back.’  
‘Come on, Rey, we’ll take you to have a look around,’ said Rance, who, like his son, was starting to get restless.  
‘I need to go and get on with the dinner anyway,’ said Kyra, starting to collect the cups together. ‘Rey, would you like to join us?’ When Rey hesitated, she added, ‘It’s really no bother. You’ve come all this way to see us, it’s the least we can do.’  
‘Okay, I would like that, very much.’ Rey couldn’t believe how lucky she was to keep coming into contact with so many generous people.  
Rance and Rafe took her, and BB8, on a tour of the homestead, showing her around the workshop, the hangar well, and the covered garage, and the many moisture-saving devices that had been in place since Luke’s time. Amazingly, everything still worked well despite the harshness of the desert conditions, Rance commenting that the technology had been built to last.  
‘Look at this,’ he said, handing her a dusty and dirty model whilst she was in the workshop. ‘I think this belonged to Luke. It was here when we got here.’  
Rey took the model in her hands, recognising it to be a suborbital T-16 sky-hopper, slightly damaged (the pneumatic projectile gun was missing although the fitting for it was still there).  
‘The real one’s in the garage,’ went on Rance, ‘although it’s grounded at the moment. Do you want to take a look?’  
‘Yes please.’ She went with him to take a look, and spent a while looking it over, suggesting modifications that could be made to make it flyable. Rance was impressed by her knowledge and Rey replied modestly that she had always had a natural affinity for piloting, as well as for fixing ships.  
‘How did you get to Tatooine?’  
‘I’ve got a ship, it used to belong to Han Solo…’  
‘What the Rebellion hero?’ Rance was impressed, ‘you mean the Millennium Falcon, don’t you? The ship that made the Kessel Run in…’  
‘Twelve parsecs,’ Rey finished it off for him.  
‘I heard it was fourteen?’  
‘I heard it from the man himself,’ grinned Rey, much to Rance’s surprise. ‘You know Ben’s his son, don’t you?’  
‘Yes, he did mention it. And that his mother was Princess Leia Organa. I mean, what a family to be born into! The guy’s literally a prince or something.’  
He went off shaking his head, and Rey was reminded of Ben’s concerns about his heritage, the automatic assumption that being the son of heroes was a good thing.  
Heading up top after Rance, he explained to her the size of the farm. ‘It’s not as large as some farms on Tatooine,’ he said as they looked out over the desert from the safety of the shade created by the entrance. It was the hottest part of the day and not for the first time, Rey was glad that she had purchased the hat. ‘We’ve got about 65 or so moisture vaporators spread out across the Flats, and I’m hoping to get more as we expand…’  
‘Dad! Come here!’  
There was a shout from Rafe inside the homestead and Rance excused himself for a moment to go and see what his son wanted.  
Rey remained up top, feeling something calling to her through the Force. Closing her eyes, she reached out, seeing whatever it was in her surroundings, finding herself being pulled towards a small patch of ground that was just beyond the white stone of the entrance dome. Going over to it, she crouched down on the ground, pushing her fingers into the dirt, feeling the sensation of the hot sand. She took a handful, letting it trickle through her fingers, experiencing its gritty, coarse texture. All of a sudden, her vision started to swim and her surroundings faded away as a succession of images assaulted her senses.

She could see the homestead burning, their bodies left charred and blackened, lying in the ruins where they had fallen… a young man, his eyes and heart filled with rage and hatred, throwing a wrench across the workshop whilst tears poured down his face… a young woman, afraid for him, but also scared of what he had done, comforting him as he cried… a man dressed in simple, homespun clothes digging a hole in the sand, beside him a long, wrapped bundle waiting to be buried… his brother, the Jedi, holding his mother in his arms, in the flickering light of a dark tent, her poor wounded face staring up at him before her eyes glazed over, gone… the young Luke Skywalker, his hair bleached blonde, staring across at the setting suns, longing for adventure.

Rey opened her eyes, gasping at the feelings and images revealed to her through the Force. She felt the pain of the son, taken away from his mother whilst he was still young. How he found her again, only to have her cruelly snatched away. She understood how the pain continued on through his children, never knowing their mother, their father a monster. Their dark legacy tainting the next generation, giving credence to the manipulations of the dark side.  
Now I am complete. It was a woman’s voice, the words whispered softly in her ear. Filled with sadness but also with hope for the future.  
Looking down, Rey knew that beneath her were the remains of those who had lived at the farm. Anakin’s mother, Shmi. Cliegg. Owen and Beru. Silently, she said a simple prayer for them, commending their spirits to the Force. Then, getting up, she went back inside the homestead.  
Following the unmistakable smell of food, she found Rance and Rafe waiting for her in the dining room. It was not long before Kyra brought in the dinner, a simple meal of vegetables and thick, delicious noodles, with milk to drink. Over dinner Rey asked Rance and Kyra what their plans were for the future, which mainly involved expanding the farm, and Rafe asked her, shyly, if he could have a look at her lightsaber. She agreed and he could hardly eat the rest of his meal for excitement. Afterwards, Rey went outside into the courtyard to demonstrate some lightsaber techniques for Rafe, and even allowed him to have a hold of the weapon.  
‘Wow,’ he said, clumsily executing what he thought was a good move, much to Rey’s amusement. ‘I’ve not even held a blaster yet, but I’ve held a lightsaber. Hira will be so impressed!’  
‘Who’s Hira?’ asked Rey, curious.  
‘He’s my best friend,’ Rafe explained, ‘he lives over in Anchorhead.’  
‘Sorry to interrupt,’ said Rance, coming over to them both. ‘Rafe, there’s been a call from Argon. One of the vaporators nearest to the Wastes has been totalled by a couple of Tusken Raiders looking to cause trouble. I need you to come with me just in case they’re still hanging around up there.’  
‘Sure Dad.’ Reluctantly, he handed the lightsaber back to Rey. ‘Thank’s for letting me have a go.’  
’No worries.’ Rey put the lightsaber back on her belt.  
‘Forgive us for disappearing like this,’ said Rance apologetically, ‘but we need to get this vaporator back on line before it messes up the entire ridge.’  
‘It’s fine,’ said Rey lightly, ‘is it anything I can help with?’  
Rance was temped to take her along, purely because of her skills with a lightsaber but he wasn’t sure he wanted to get her involved in local troubles. ‘No, it’s fine. You stay with Kyra, she could do with the company.’  
‘Sure.’  
As Rance and Rafe hurried up top, Rey went back inside the homestead, looking for Kyra. She found her clearing up the remains of the meal in the dining room, wiping down the table with a clean cloth. ‘Can I help?’  
‘Thank you, that would be very helpful.’ She handed Rey the cloth whilst she took the plates and cups back to the kitchen. ‘Oh, I remembered I have something for you, Rey,’ she called back to her from the kitchen. ‘Something that Ben left. He asked me to keep it in case you ever came to visit. I’ll just go and get it.’  
Cleaning the table, Rey found herself getting excited, wondering what Ben had in store for her this time. She’d resigned herself to the fact that she was now invested in the not-quite treasure hunt he had involved her in, although whether he had planned it all along or it had grown organically as Ben had travelled from place to place was unclear.  
In a couple of minutes, Kyra returned returned with something wrapped up in a rough piece of material, similar to the homespun garments that Kyra herself was wearing. It was tied with a red ribbon. ‘Here you are.’  
‘Thank you.’ The parcel felt light in her hands and she undid the ribbon, unwrapping the material to reveal a necklace and a folded-up piece of paper inside.  
‘It’s made from a Japor Ivory wood snippet,’ explained Kyra as Rey picked up the necklace to look at it. ‘Its carved with traditional Tatooine symbols and strung onto a thong of Jerba leather. There’s a tradition on Naboo that the lover hand-carves it as a keepsake or gift for their beloved.’  
Rey felt her heartbeat quicken. ‘What do the symbols mean?’  
Taking the necklace from Rey, Kyra turned it over in her hands. ‘This one here is love,’ she said, pointing to one side of the carved wood, ‘the other, on this side, means a place of belonging, or family. Shall I put it on for you?’ Kyra offered. When Rey nodded, she fastened it around her neck. ‘Looks lovely.’  
Then Rey remembered the piece of paper. Opening it up, she saw that it had five circles scribbled on it. At the top was written ‘Five Brothers’, and one of the circles had a cross marked onto it. Written underneath the circle was ‘Eldest.’ She stared at it in confusion.  
‘That’s Corellia,’ said Kyra, when Rey showed it to her. ‘The planets in the system there are known as the brothers, and Corellia, the central planet, is known as the Eldest brother.’  
‘Ben’s father came from Corellia.’  
‘Oh? He didn’t say.’  
After they had finished cleaning up, Kyra made Rey some tea and they sat down in the sitting room to chat whilst they waited for Rance and Rafe to come back.  
‘I don’t want to pry,’ said Kyra, ‘but do you mind if I ask about you and Ben?’  
‘Sure.’  
‘I said that the necklace was carved as a lover’s token. Is that what he is to you?’  
‘Yes… well, no, he’s much more than that. I don’t know how to explain it… it’s like we couldn’t exist without each other.’  
‘You said the Force brought you together?’  
‘Yes. The light and darkness inside us came together, to bring balance.’  
‘You’re the light and he’s the…’ Kyra couldn’t quite bring herself to say it. She couldn’t reconcile the man she had met with her perception of someone who was immersed in darkness.  
‘It’s not that straightforward,’ replied Rey, picking up her tea. ‘For years, Ben was manipulated by a powerful Force user who tried to turn him into a tool for evil. The Force chose me as the light that would balance his growing darkness. But there’s light and darkness inside us both, that’s why we don’t call ourselves Jedi. We can’t.’  
‘Neither are the Jedi supposed to fall in love,’ said Kyra teasingly, ‘but I guess you’ve broken that one too!’  
‘The Skywalkers have a history of that,’ said Rey with a smile. ‘Me and Ben are hopeless at following rules, which is why it’s better that we forge our own path, rather than follow those who came before us. One that allows us to reconcile the darkness inside us with the principles that guide the Jedi - compassion, justice, and knowledge.’  
‘But you’re not together at the moment?’  
‘No, Ben’s needed to be on his own for a while, to try and make up for the things that he did whilst he was under the influence of the dark side. Restoring the homestead was part of that.’  
‘I see, it makes sense now.’ Kyra looked at Rey sympathetically, ‘How long have you been apart?’  
‘It’s been three years now. But he’s leaving me these little clues as to where he’s been, and hopefully I might find him at the end of it.’  
‘It seems very romantic,’ said Kyra, who had been married at a young age, and did not know much outside her life as a farmer’s wife. ‘Although, of course, it’s no substitute for being with him.’  
‘No, but our connection is very intense,’ explained Rey. ‘Sometimes it’s like we share the same mind. In some ways, in many ways, we needed to have some time away from each other to be able to work out where we’re going in the future.’  
They chatted a while longer about the difficulties of life on Tatooine, the dangers presented by the Hutts and other criminals, and the limited opportunities for young people. Kyra talked about her concerns for Rafe, that he was an intelligent boy but, unless he wanted to be a farmer, there was little on Tatooine to keep him there once he was old enough to leave. ‘I don’t know if he wants to take on the farm. It’s a harsh and thankless life really. I guess it’s like Luke’s aunt and uncle,’ she reflected, ‘they didn’t want him to leave Tatooine, to leave the farm, in case he never came back. But then circumstances forced him.’  
‘He wanted a life of adventure,’ agreed Rey, ‘and that’s what he got. Although, finding out that his father was one of the most feared people in the galaxy must have been a shock.’  
‘Indeed,’ Kyra raised her eyebrows. ‘I don’t think life will be as dramatic as that for Rafe, but I hope he finds some sense of purpose.’ She looked across at Rey, ‘Do you think you’ve found your purpose in life?’  
‘Not yet,’ she admitted. ‘but I’m getting there. I know I want to pass on what I’ve learnt from being strong in the Force. To create a compassionate group of Force users that can help keep hope alive in the galaxy. But what shape and form that will take is still very open.’ She smiled, ‘What I am sure of is that I have people who love me, and a family that will support me.’  
‘And that is the most important thing,’ said Kyra, to Rey’s fervent agreement.  
Rey stayed with Kyra until Rance and Rafe returned. Fortunately, they had managed to get the vaporator fixed up again without incident, and Kyra managed to persuade Rey to stay for another cup of tea before she went back to Anchorhead, Rafe promising to give her a lift back to the town in their landspeeder. After tearing BB8 away from some new droid friends, she said goodbye to Rance and Kyra, thanking them for their hospitality.  
‘It really was no trouble,’ said Kyra, who had taken an immense liking to the young Jedi. ‘Drop in at any time, we’ll be very glad to see you again, won’t we, Rance?’  
‘Of course.’  
‘And perhaps you can bring Ben with you next time?’ suggested Kyra.  
‘I hope so.’  
After Rafe dropped her and BB8 off in Anchorhead, she said goodbye to the young man and headed back to where she had left the Falcon. She was closing the hatch behind her, when she heard a beeping coming from the cockpit, indicating that someone was trying to get in contact with her. Rushing over to the console, she pressed the button to open up the transmission channel, delighted to see it was coming from Coruscant. ‘Finn?’  
‘Rey!’ Finn and Poe spoke together, sounding a little over-excited. ‘How are you?’  
‘And how’s my little buddy?’ called out Poe, causing BB8 to bleep happily.  
‘Guys - it’s great to hear you! You two sound… happy.’ Rey took a seat in the pilot’s chair, wishing that she could see her friends’ faces as well as hear their voices. She was missing them both terribly.  
‘We’ve er, had a little bit to drink,’ Finn giggled.  
‘Just a little,’ giggled Poe, ‘not much!’  
‘But don’t worry about that,’ said Finn quickly. ‘Tell us how you are, and what you’ve been doing…’  
‘And where you are,’ slurred Poe, clearly worse-for-wear, much more so than Finn.  
‘Er, we’re both fine. I’m just leaving Tatooine,’ she admitted, looking outside the viewport into the busy environs of Anchorhead’s small spaceport. Droids were busy filling ships up with fuel, and several pilots were leaning against the sun-baked walls, having a good old chatter about this and that.  
‘Hang on,’ Poe’s confusion was obvious. ‘That’s not a green and watery planet!’  
‘I know, I know,’ she said. ‘I had a slight detour thanks to Ben Solo.’  
‘Ohhh. What’s he done now?’  
‘Well, I don’t know whether he meant to do it or not,’ began Rey, ‘but he’s been leaving me all these clues, showing me what he’s been up to for the past three years, as well as taking me to places connected to the Skywalker family.’  
‘Where have you been?’  
‘So far, Takodana, Naboo and Tatooine.’  
‘Hey, I suggested two of those,’ Poe pointed out, sounding hurt.  
‘Yes and those happened to coincide with places that Ben has been to as well.’  
Beside her, BB8 made a noise that could only be described as a snort.  
‘Okay, so where is Mr Fancy-pants sending you next?’  
Rey frowned. Anyone who knew Ben knew his pants were several years old, and not at all fancy. ’Corellia…’  
‘Kyp is on Corellia!’ cried Poe, rather loudly, startling BB8 underneath the console.  
‘Wait… I thought she was on Riosa?’ That demonstrated how long it had been since she had spoken to Kyp.  
‘No, she left there ages ago,’ said Finn matter-of-factly. ‘She went to Corellia to help out with a programme that works with abandoned and orphaned children. Go and see her, she’d love to see you.’  
‘Rumours say that a certain tall, dark, handsome man has been spotted with her,’ said Poe, sniggering to himself.  
Not wanting to get her hopes up, Rey ignored him. ’Do you know where she’s based, Finn?’  
‘We do indeed,’ confirmed Poe, before Finn could even speak. ‘I’ll get lover boy here to send the details over just as soon as we’ve finished this, er… important work.’  
‘Hey, who are you calling lover boy?’ complained Finn at the other end.  
‘So you’ve finally got round to seeing each other then?’ sighed Rey, feeling glad that she was not on Coruscant so she wouldn’t have to pick up the pieces the next day. She didn’t envy Rose.  
‘We have.’ Rey could almost hear Finn’s huge smile through the speakers. ‘Not just for one, but two nights.’  
‘We might even stretch it to three if we’re lucky,’ added Poe.  
‘Good, I’m very happy for you guys,’ said Rey. ‘How’s Rose? Actually, where is Rose?’  
‘She’s well. Missing you,’ commented Finn. ‘We did ask her if she wanted to join us tonight, but she’s actually on a date!’  
‘A date?’ Rey was overjoyed for her friend. ‘Who’s the lucky guy?’  
‘Girl actually,’ said Poe, much to Rey’s surprise. ‘It’s Connix!’  
‘Connix? She’s never implied any interest.’  
‘When has Rose ever come clean about who she’s interested in,’ laughed Finn, clearly opening something at the other end. Rey could hear the pop as a catch was released. ‘She’s as bad as you in that respect.’  
‘Yeah, I’ll give you that,’ conceded Rey. ‘So how did they get together?’  
‘They went for a coffee one day after work and it went on from there,’ added Poe, taking a long sip of whatever he was drinking. ‘You should come back, Rey, you’re missing all the exciting stuff.’  
‘Come to think of it, when are you coming back?’ Finn asked her.  
‘I don’t know yet,’ said Rey, ‘when I’ve decided what to do with the rest of my life.’  
‘And when you’ve found that handsome lunk of yours,’ added Poe, giggling away to himself.  
‘Well he better be at the end of this treasure hunt of his,’ she complained, only half-jokingly, ’otherwise I shall be having more than words with him.’  
‘Uh oh!’ deadpanned Finn to Poe, ‘d’you think we better warn him?’  
‘Nah. From what I’ve heard, he likes Rey to be all feral…’  
‘Will you guys SHUT UP!’ Rey shouted at the console.  
‘Yes Poe, shut up,’ Finn chastised him. Then he said to Rey, ‘So you’re okay.’  
‘I am, yes.’  
There was a pause. She could hear Poe muttering, ‘You ask her,’ to Finn, to which Finn was saying, ‘No, no, I’ve tried before.’  
‘What are you guys whispering about?’ she asked, confused by their behaviour.  
‘Er, Finn just wanted to ask you something that’s been on our mind for ages now,’ said Poe, obviously trying to keep a straight face. ‘Something really important…’  
'No I don't,' said Finn crossly, 'just ignore him, Rey.' 'That's easy enough,' she muttered to herself. ‘Well, it’s been swell talking to you,’ said Poe hurriedly, ‘but we better be going now.’  
‘Now you’ve got what you want,’ said Rey snarkily. There was more sniggering from the other end, and she did not want to even hazard a guess as to what they were up to.  
‘We love you!’ said Finn, ‘And we’ll be back in touch. Keep safe!’  
‘Goodbye, love you too.’  
Switching the channel off, Rey leaned back in her seat, glad to have heard from her friends, even if it had only been a short, and confusing, conversation. All she had to do now was hope that Finn remembered to send her the co-ordinates so that she could visit Kyp on Corellia. But she needn’t have worried; a minute later, the navicomp started flashing, indicating that a transmission was being sent through and she pressed the button to receive it.  
‘Good old Finn.’  
Still under the console, BB8 bleeped angrily.  
‘Yes, and Poe as well.’  
As soon as the navicomp was ready, she started the sequence for take-off and soon the Falcon was blasting into space, leaving the yellow-hued planet of Tatooine far behind.


	21. Rey arrives on Corellia

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey catches up with her friend, Kyp Dala, who is working on a project that helps abandoned children, many of whom end up in street gangs or exploited by criminals. She is impressed to find out that Ben suggested the project to Kyp, and he worked on it himself. The next clue sends her to Bespin, and she is amused to find out what Ben has left for her this time.

Like Coruscant, Corellia was a heavily urbanised planet, famous for its shipyards and the quality of the pilots that it produced through its schools and academies. The Falcon had been made in the same shipyards, and she wondered if the ship knew that it was coming home.  
‘Do you think ships have memories?’ she asked BB8.  
The droid bleep uncertainly, it had not ever enquired.  
Rey was about to ask the Falcon when the scopes started beeping for her attention as the ship started its approach towards Corellia, just at the same time as BB8 unleashed a stream of noise at her.  
‘Yeah, we’re approaching Corellia now.’ She listened to a couple more questions, ‘We’re going to see Kyp, she’s the friend I made on Exegol. Yes, I think she’ll be friendly to droids, she’s friendly to everyone.’ A couple more bleeps and Rey laughed. ‘I don’t know about that, we’ll have to see, won’t we.’  
Flying over Coronet City, Rey found an available hangar in a central location and paid the fee for two days, just in case she ended up staying in the city overnight. Collecting her jacket, her bag, and her lightsaber, she left the hangar with BB8, heading into the depths of the city in search of Kyp’s new home.  
The streets were incredibly noisy, assaulting her with an almost overwhelming array of emotions, smells and sounds, especially after the relative tranquility of Naboo and Tatooine. Warning BB8 to keep close, she kept a hand on her bag and lightsaber, remembering her experience of pickpockets on Coruscant.  
‘Yes it does look shabbier than Coruscant,’ Rey agreed with BB8, who was annoyed at having to wheel around the dirt piles on the street. There was much more obvious poverty, as well as the ever-present gangs of grubby children that roamed the streets, having little else to do. Rey assumed that these were the same children that Kyp was trying to help.  
Eventually they found Kyp’s project, located in one of the more run-down areas of the city. Rey and BB8 stared at the desolate-looking six-storey building for a long time, wondering if they had got the right place.  
‘Is this it?’ Rey looked around at the tired building fronts, the shabby shop signs advertising cheap haircuts and takeaways. The broken glass and obscene graffiti. ‘I guess it must be.’  
Going up to the door, Rey saw that there was no means of announcing her arrival. But then, a small circular device popped out of the door, manoeuvring itself until it was level with her eyes. A red light flashed, startling her so much that her hand went to her lightsaber.  
‘Hello, how may I help you?’  
The voice seemed to come from the device. ’Er, my name’s Rey, I’m here to see Kyp Dala.’  
‘Please check in any weapons before you enter.’  
A panel in the door opened, and a small container popped out. Reluctantly, Rey put her lightsaber in the container, trusting that she had other means at her disposal in case of danger.  
‘Thank you.’ The container folded back up into the door. ‘Please enter. You will find Kyp Dala on Floor 3.’  
There was a buzzing sound and the door clicked open. Warily, Rey entered, closely followed by BB8. They found themselves in a dark hallway, tiled in iridescent green squares. A corridor led to the back of the building, with several doors leading off it. There was no elevator but stairs led upwards. ‘Are you okay to climb up the stairs, BB8, or do you want me to carry you?’  
BB8 demonstrated that it could climb the stairs on its own, albeit slowly.  
They were climbing up to Floor 3, Rey worrying about her lightsaber, when she heard door opening above her.  
‘Rey!’  
It was Kyp, appearing in a burst of noise and excitement. ‘Hello!’  
‘Rey! It is you!’  
Enveloped in a warm embrace, she hugged Kyp back fiercely. ‘I’m sorry it’s been so long!’  
‘That’s okay,’ said Kyp, letting her go. ‘Let’s have a look at you.’ Her eyes took in Rey’s short, wavy hair, her grey tunic and pants, finished off with a fitted jacket and sensible leather boots. In one concession to colour, Rey was wearing a blue-green scarf. ‘You look lovely.’  
‘Thank you,’ said Rey, smiling brightly. ‘I’m in a much better place than when we last met.’  
‘I’m glad to hear it,’ agreed Kyp, gesturing for Rey and BB8 to follow her to her office. ‘Come on, you can tell me all about what you’ve been up to over a cup of tea.’  
As they walked down the corridor, Rey thought that she could be in virtually any office building. It had the same bland cream walls and rough grey carpet as most of the offices she had ever been in. But this place did have one happy difference, the walls were covered in pictures of happy looking children.  
‘Do you know much about what we do here?’ Kyp saw Rey looking at the pictures.  
‘No, not really,’ Rey admitted. ‘You help street children?’  
‘Yes, mostly,’ explained Kyp. ‘As you’ve probably guessed, these are some of the children that we’ve helped. You wouldn’t believe the difference from when they first came to us.’  
‘I wish I’d known sooner,’ said Rey as she followed Kyp into one of the offices, ‘I only found out about it from Finn and Poe yesterday!’  
‘Really?’ Kyp was surprised. ‘I’ve been here a while now.’  
Kyp’s personal office was large and well-lit, with a row of windows looking out over the street to the front of the building. In front of the window was a desk, facing into the room, and Kyp encouraged Rey to sit down on one of the comfortable seats in front of it. Not surprisingly, the office was crammed full of items, including several over-stuffed bookshelves, a chaotic noticeboard, piles of paperwork on the desk, and pictures of Kyp’s children on every last bit of available surface.  
‘Tea?’  
‘Yes please.’ Rey looked at BB8, wondering what to do with the droid. ‘There’s no droids here, are there?’  
Kyp was busy at the drinks machine. ‘What? Yes, there’s a couple of technical droids further down the corridor.’  
Before Rey could say anything, BB8 wheeled away, bleeping excitedly.  
‘I’ll come and find you before I go,’ Rey called after the little droid, before Kyp distracted her with a cup of tea. ‘Oh thanks.’  
‘The droid’s a chirpy little thing.’ Kyp took the seat next to her.  
‘Yes, it belongs to Poe. He thought I might want some company on my travels.’  
‘Well. Where to start?’ Kyp looked at her expectantly.  
‘At the beginning,’ urged Rey, encouraging Kyp to go first. ‘How did you end up here?’  
‘You’ll be surprised when I tell you,’ replied the older woman, finding it hard to keep the smile from bursting out across her face. ‘It was all Ben’s idea!’  
‘Ben?’  
‘Yes.’  
‘Ben Solo?’  
‘Yes!’ Kyp laughed at her incredulity. ‘Why is it so hard to believe?’  
‘It’s just… Poe mentioned that he’d been here. But he was drunk, so I thought he was trying to wind me up.’  
‘I wouldn’t be surprised,’ said Kyp, raising her eyebrows. ‘That man did always strike me as a huge tease.’  
‘Tell me about it.’  
‘Anyway, I was telling you about Ben. He came to see us when we were still on Riosa and I told him I was bored. That I was looking for something more meaningful to do. He said that he’d been working with a group who were helping the street children here. Helping them to find new families, somewhere to live, that kind of thing. But they were struggling to keep it going and needed someone to take it on full time. They’d asked Ben to do it but he didn’t want to tie himself down and he thought I’d be perfect.’ Kyp paused and took a drink of tea before adding, ‘Seems he was right.’  
‘I guess he wanted to help children like his father.’ Although Ben had not told her very much about his father’s early life, he’d mentioned that Han had lost his mother at a young age, and suffered from a difficult relationship with his father. A relationship that had then, in some ways, been replicated between Ben and Han.  
‘That’s right.’ Kyp nodded. ‘But he also said that he wanted to do something after learning about your childhood on Jakku. So I guess he had many reasons for being here initially. But then something else came up, so I said I’d be happy to help out. And here I am.’  
‘You look happy.’  
‘I am. I’ve finally found my calling. There’s so much more we can do here compared to Exegol. We can help the children in so many different ways. We can reunite them with their families, place them with new families, or give them a roof over their heads. It depends on their situation. Then, once they become independent, we can track them, to offer help and advice and support whenever they need it.’  
‘It sounds wonderful,’ agreed Rey, finishing her tea.  
‘The best way to show you what we’re doing is to take you to see some of the children. Would you like that?’  
‘I would. But before we go, there’s one thing. I had to give up my lightsaber when I came in…’  
‘Oh yes, of course.’ Kyp looked suitably apologetic, ‘It’s a precaution. This area is pretty bad for crime unfortunately. I can get it for you when we go downstairs.’  
Leaving the office, lightsaber returned to her belt, Kyp took Rey to visit some of the young people who lived in an apartment block close by. Inside the eight bedroom apartment - which was in much better shape than Kyp’s offices - there were seven young people, looked after by two stand-in parents, who lived with them permanently. The children, aged from seven to sixteen, welcomed Rey shyly, but they were, like most children, quickly impressed with her lightsaber. Rey gave them what she thought would be a quick demonstration, but it ended up being much longer when she saw how excited the children became. Their enthusiasm and curiosity was infectious, and it was well past dinner time by the time that Kyp and Rey were able to tear themselves away.  
‘I can see why you love working with the children,’ commented Rey as she and Kyp walked back to the offices. ‘It must be great to see them so happy and cared for.’  
‘It is,’ agreed Kyp. ‘Before they come to us, they have nothing. Literally. As well as housing them, we help them to get an education, take part in activities that they like, and we take them on trips out of the city. They get far more than their parents could give them, or the criminal gangs that try and recruit them. There’s so many people living in poverty on this planet, despite the obscene amounts made by the shipyards.’  
‘I saw it as soon as I got here,’ admitted Rey. ‘It’s much more obvious than on Coruscant.’  
‘It’s a big problem, but we do get lots of support for the project, which is good. Some of it comes from the government here, but some of it comes from the Overseers, believe it or not,’ Kyp explained, allowing the door droid to register her retina scan so that they could re-enter the building. ‘Poe wants to make sure that their resources are used for good, so we applied for funding and got it.’  
They walked back up the stairs, passing Jakk who was on his way out of the building. He did a double take when he saw Rey, ‘Hello! I didn’t know you were here?’  
‘It was an impromptu visit,’ Rey explained. ‘So you work here too?’  
‘Yeah, for the moment,’ said Jakk. ‘I’m starting a new job soon at one of the academies, teaching young pilots, so this is a temporary thing, really. What about you - still on Coruscant?’  
‘For the moment,’ she nodded, ‘although I’m looking to re-locate somewhere greener.’  
‘I don’t blame you, I don’t remember much greenery on Coruscant.’ He looked over at his mom, ‘I’m just heading out to get some lunch. Do you want anything?’  
‘Yes please, if you wouldn’t mind. And get something for Rey, too.’  
‘What do you like?’ he asked her, thinking that she looked more attractive than ever with her short, wavy hair and creamy complexion.  
‘I’ll eat anything.’  
‘That’s easy then,’ Jakk smiled, who was in a hurry. ‘I won’t be too long.’  
Rey watched as he ran down the stairs, eventually disappearing out of the door. ‘Are all your family with you on Corellia?’  
‘Most of them,’ replied Kyp, as they walked back to her office. ‘Rendol’s got a job here, working for the government. Most of the youngsters are settled here too but Tinian decided to stay on Riosa with his family. He comes to see us regularly, though. I won’t let any of them be strangers,’ she grinned as Rey sat down. ‘And neither should you. More tea?’  
‘You know me!’ laughed Rey, handing her cup over. ‘I’m always here for the tea.’  
‘You might recognise this then,’ said Kyp, pointing to the drinks machine.  
‘Same one?’  
‘Same one.’  
As Kyp got the drinks, Rey asked her if she knew what the Overseers were doing these days.  
‘They’re looking after a farm and small co-operative,’ replied Kyp, grabbing the two teas and coming back over to sit next to Rey. ‘Ben helped them to set it up…’  
‘Ben?’ Rey’s mind was agog with Ben’s comings and goings, he seemed to have been everywhere. Clearly she was seeing only a tiny fraction of what he had been up to over the past three years.  
‘Yes, they provide free vegetables, fruits and other things to people that need them, both on Coruscant and other planets. We get some of their stuff here, for the children. From what Ben’s said, when he’s been here, they’ve been living quietly, getting on with their new roles. Pleased that they’re able to help.’  
‘It’s good to know that Poe’s ideas are working,’ remarked Rey. ‘I know he took a big risk, but the idea that rehabilitation and doing good works can work as well as more punitive measures is a powerful one.’  
‘I think so. It certainly seems to have worked in the Overseer’s case. And for Ben too. I’m impressed with how much calmer he is. I know he thinks he can never really atone for what he’s done but he seems to have found some peace within himself.’ She looked at Rey searchingly, ‘What do you think?’  
‘I don’t know,’ admitted Rey, not sure that she had seen enough of Ben yet to make a reasonable judgement. ‘The problem is that… when we’re together it’s always so intense. We can’t be calm around each other.’  
‘Intense because of the dyad connection or intense because you love each other?’ Kyp dared to ask.  
‘Both,’ she replied, fiddling with the tassels on the end of her scarf.  
‘Ah, I remember that time,’ smiled Kyp, seeing that Rey was probably lacking both confidence, and the advice as to what it meant to be in a relationship. It was still very new to her. ‘When I first met Rendol, I don’t think we did much together in the first few months that involved leaving the house.’ Seeing Rey blush, she laughed. ‘I’m sorry, dear, to be so frank but it’s perfectly normal for the first stages of a relationship to be very, er, intense. Yes, that’s probably the best word. And I take it you haven’t seen Ben that much?’  
‘Three times since I’ve been on Coruscant,’ sighed Rey, still feeling miserable about it. ‘And only one of those was in person.’  
‘Kriff! I thought it was more than that. No wonder you’re tense!’  
‘I am?’  
‘You don’t need the Force to see that I’m afraid.’  
After a pause, Rey said plaintively. ’I miss him so much, Kyp.’  
‘I know,’ said Kyp, reaching out her hand to touch Rey’s shoulder gently. ‘I know it won’t help you but… he misses you too. When he was here, he never stopped talking about you.’  
‘I know we’ll be together soon.’ Close to tears, Rey sniffed loudly. She had been holding in her real feelings for so long, she knew that they were ready to burst out at any moment. But she didn’t want to inflict them on Kyp and she forced herself to stay calm. ‘I only wish… I wish it was now.’  
Getting up, Kyp went over to one of the drawers in her desk and pulled it open. ‘It probably won’t help, but he did leave me something for you.’  
Rey smiled half-heartedly. ‘He’s been doing that everywhere I’ve been.’ She pulled out the necklace that she was wearing from under her scarf, the one he had carved on Tatooine, to show Kyp.  
‘That’s lovely,’ remarked the older woman as she came back over, clutching something in her hand.  
‘He made it himself.’  
‘There you go,’ said Kyp fondly, handing her a small box. ‘Not many men would do that. Rendol’s never made me a necklace.’  
Rey looked at the box in her hands. It was small and decorated in the Corellian style, a symmetrical pattern of different coloured woods, inlaid into the lid. Opening it, inside Rey found a processor - a piece of tech that looked like a miniature circuit board - along with a piece of paper, neatly folded to fit inside the box.  
‘What’s that for?’ asked Kyp, confused as to why Ben would choose to give her something so mundane.  
‘It’s something I’ve been looking for… for ages,’ she frowned, wondering how Ben could possibly have known she needed it. She didn’t remember talking to him about it. ‘It’s to improve the shields on the Falcon.’  
‘That’s your ship right?’  
‘Yes.’ Unfolding the paper, she found a hand-drawn picture of what looked like a turnip, surrounded by clouds. The words ‘Lando and Jannah’ were written underneath it.  
‘What’s that all about?’ Kyp was even more confused.  
‘Bespin,’ Rey said out loud.  
‘What’s Bespin?’  
‘It’s a planet in the Anoat system. Lando Calrissian used to run a Tibanna gas mine there, but now it’s used for rehabilitation. Cloud City, it’s called.’  
‘Who’s Lando Calrissian?’  
‘He’s one of Han’s old friends.’  
‘Han?’ Kyp was struggling to keep up with all the new names.  
‘Sorry. Han Solo was Ben’s father.’  
‘Oh I see.’ Kyp watched as she folded up the paper again, and put it back inside the box. ‘So Ben’s been leaving little things for you to find?’  
‘Yes. Clues to where he’s been. The first one I found on Takodana, which took me to Naboo, then to Tatooine, and then to here.’  
‘It sounds very romantic.’  
‘I just hope Ben’s somewhere at the end of it,’ Rey grumbled. But, realising that she sounded ungrateful, she added, ‘Sorry, I just feel frustrated that’s all. I’m supposed to be looking for somewhere to build a new Jedi temple and these little clues of Ben’s keep distracting me.’  
‘Is that what you want to do?’ asked Kyp, suddenly very conscious that she had not asked Rey what her future plans were. ‘Revive the Jedi Order?’  
Rey nodded, and was about to elaborate, but then the door opened and Jakk came in.  
’Lunch has arrived,’ he announced dramatically, holding a small box aloft.  
‘Thank goodness!’ remarked Kyp, who, like Rey, was starving. ‘I was just about to send out the search party.’  
‘I got you both a couple of wraps each,’ he explained, dumping the food on the desk. ‘I’m sorry Rey,’ he went on, turning to the young woman, ‘I’m going to have to bail on you, I’m afraid. I’ve got this deadline…’  
‘It’s okay,’ insisted Rey, ‘you don’t have to explain. I’m the one who’s interrupting everybody here!’  
‘We’ll have to catch up another time,’ he promised, and disappeared out of the door.  
Whilst Kyp sorted out the drinks, Rey started tucking into her meal. As Jakk had said, it was two short wraps, filled to bursting with chopped vegetables and a delicious-smelling sauce. ‘This is yummy,’ she remarked happily.  
‘Good, the food here is pretty good actually,’ said Kyp, who was sitting on the other side of the hastily cleared desk. Handing Rey over a glass of sparkling water, Kyp went back to their earlier conversation. ‘So you were saying about reviving the Jedi Order…?’  
‘Yes, with one or two changes,’ said Rey, munching away. ‘Well, a lot of changes actually.’  
‘Don’t tell me,’ grinned Kyp, remembering her conversations with Ben, ‘first you’ll ditch the no attachments rule?’  
‘That goes without saying,’ she laughed. ‘But the idea behind it is still relevant, that a Jedi should love selflessly, not selfishly. These are the things that I need to sit down and think about properly. What the purpose of the Jedi Order is. What the key principles will be. I think compassion is the most important, but other Force users might have very different ideas. I need to listen to them too.’  
‘It sounds like you’ve thought about this very carefully,’ was Kyp’s comment.  
‘It needs careful thought,’ she maintained, taking a sip of her water. ‘The Jedi Order failed because it cared more about its legacy - the power it wielded - than its actual purpose. When I talked to Luke Skywalker, he was the first to say that he failed Ben because he only saw his legacy, not Ben himself or what Ben needed, as opposed to what the Jedi Order, or even Luke, needed. It allowed Snoke in, just as the hubris of the earlier Jedi allowed Sidious in. It was a hard lesson for the galaxy to learn.’  
For once, Kyp was silent, thinking about the implications of her words. ‘As I said to you before, I always believed the Jedi were a force for good,’ she said eventually. ‘You never think that good intentions can end up bringing about bad consequences.’  
‘But there’s lots of decisions the Order made that make no sense to me,’ said Rey quietly. ‘They took children from their families at a young age because they knew it was easier to indoctrinate them away from outside influences. This was something that the First Order copied. The Jedi were supposed to be the galaxy’s protectors, to feel compassion for those who were suffering or oppressed. But slavery and crime still thrived under the Republic. I don’t understand why and I need to if I’m to create something new from its remains.’  
‘I think Ben will want to help you.’  
‘I hope so,’ said Rey positively. ‘I mean, what he’s doing now seems to me to be one way of rethinking what a Jedi might be. Someone who travels around, providing help where it’s needed. Giving people a new purpose or meaning in their life. With no thought of, or need for, reward - they do it because it’s right. I know in Ben’s case it’s complicated by his need to atone for his past, but even without everything that’s happened, I think this is always how Ben was meant to be.’  
‘I think you’re right,’ said Kyp softly. ‘Both of you are willing to help others selflessly. You helped me to leave Exegol without any thought of the risk to yourself, and you would have done more if you’d been able to. Just imagine how it could be, the two of you, working together, side by side. Helping to inspire change and growth. Making life better for others. I think that’s a Jedi Order I could get behind.’  
The tears were threatening again, and Rey had to put her food down.  
‘I don’t know why,’ Kyp went on, ‘but even on Exegol I knew that there was something unique about you two. There’s just… something magical about the two of you together, I can’t define it but it’s there.’  
Wiping her eyes, Rey managed a smile. ‘We thought that the Force brought us together to defeat the Shadow but I can’t help thinking it’s something more… I’m sorry, I’m getting all sad again when I should be happy.’ Picking up her glass, she asked, ‘Did Ben tell you that he asked me to marry him?’  
‘Yes, he did.’  
‘So you must have seen him recently, then?’  
‘Yes, he’s been back and forth. It was er, me and Rendol actually who encouraged him to go and see you on Coruscant.’  
‘You did?’  
‘Yes. That boy really doesn’t tell you anything does he?’ Kyp frowned. ‘He was staying with us for a few days, and he was moping around one morning. When I asked him what was wrong, he’d said he’d had this really vivid dream about you, and he couldn’t stop thinking that he needed to see you. We suggested that he could do something about it, and he was adamant that he couldn’t risk going to Coruscant. But obviously, he ended up changing his mind.’  
It had been the dress, it must have been. ‘Sometimes he just needs a kick up the backside.’  
Kyp laughed at her assessment, ‘I think I know what you mean.’  
‘I’m pleased that he’s been spending time with you, I do worry about him.’  
‘I can see why, sometimes it’s like he’s in a different galaxy to the rest of us.’  
‘You’ve noticed it too…!’  
‘Enough about Ben - did you say yes?’  
‘Yes!’  
‘That’s amazing! And definitely something we should celebrate… not that I’ve got anything here,’ she admitted, casting her eyes around the office.  
‘It’s fine,’ said Rey, feeling excited again. ‘I don’t know when it will happen. We haven’t even lived together yet! Who knows, we might go off the idea…’  
‘I hope not,’ frowned Kyp, ‘as I said before, you two are meant to be together. And you have to promise to invite me to the wedding, I’ll be very sad if you don’t! Hell, I’ll even help you arrange it, if you want me too? I’ve got loads of ideas that I’ve been saving up for my kids’ weddings, and I’m really good at organising things and telling people what to do, something that you’ll definitely need…’  
‘Okay, okay,’ laughed Rey, batting her away. ‘I promise to invite you! Although, what to, I don’t know.’  
‘That doesn’t matter, I just want to be the first person that you invite. And I accept gladly,’ Kyp joked. ‘But seriously, I’m very happy for you and Ben. And if you ever need a babysitter…’  
‘Stop!’ entreated Rey, bursting into nervous peals of laughter. ‘Now you’re going too far.’  
‘I know, I know. I’m sorry. But you know where I am.’  
‘I do.’  
They talked for a couple more hours, Rey filling Kyp in about what the rest of her friends were up to, and Kyp showing Rey more pictures of the children that the project had been helping. When Kyp asked Rey what she was doing for the evening, Rey admitted that she had no plans except to have a look around the city before she flew over to Bespin.  
‘Then why don’t you stay with us tonight?’ said Kyp, tidying away the used plates and cups from the desk. ‘Me and Rendol will show you around.’  
‘You’re sure?’ Rey didn’t want to take up any more of Kyp’s time, but Kyp assured her that she wasn’t imposing.  
‘Of course, I’m sure.’ Laughing, Kyp handed Rey her bag, ‘You’re as bad as Ben. What will it take to assure you that you’re both a part of the family now?’  
Rey blushed, ‘Really?’  
‘Really.’  
When Rendol arrived to collect his wife, he was delighted to see that Rey was not only on Corellia but was staying overnight with them.  
‘Rey!’ said Rendol, embracing the young Jedi fondly. ‘It’s lovely to see you. You’re looking so well.’  
‘Thank you,’ said Rey politely, ‘and you look good too. Have you lost weight?’  
‘I have actually,’ replied Rendol, impressed that she had noticed. He patted his stomach, ‘I’ve taken up swimming, it’s the best exercise.’  
Leaving the office, Rey collected BB8 and the four of them headed into the city, Kyp telling Rey that she could borrow pyjamas and so on from her so as not to have to bother picking up anything from the Falcon. They had a great evening together; Rey loved the dynamic between Kyp and Rendol, which was easy and relaxed after being together for so many years. Feeling safe and comfortable in their company, it was not long before she had shed her inhibitions, and was talking as openly and freely as her two friends.  
After a meal, Kyp and Rendol insisted on taking Rey on a tour of some of their favourite bars, which also enabled Rey to see some of the different parts of Coronet City (BB8 was taken back to Kyp’s apartment so that the droid could have some downtime). Like Coruscant, the city was lacking in greenery and Rey was not that impressed with the buildings, but citizens were friendly, and Rey could see why Rendol and Kyp were happily settled there. After a few drinks, and pleasant conversation, Rey became even more relaxed, opening up to Kyp and Rendol about her childhood experiences on Jakku, how she had met Finn and BB8, and the fateful meeting with Ben which had made her aware of her sensitivity in the Force. They listened spellbound as she told them about finding Luke Skywalker on Ahch-To, and her catastrophic attempt to turn Ben back from the dark side, which had culminated in him killing Snoke and fighting side by side with her, only for him to want to destroy everything she held dear in the process.  
‘He’s come a long way since then,’ was Kyp’s comment. ‘I can’t imagine he’s the same person, somehow.’  
‘There’s still flashes of it,’ said Rey honestly, ‘especially when he’s angry. And I don’t think he’ll ever believe in the Republic in the same way that his parents did. Snoke got to him too much for that.’  
The conversation turned back to more recent events, and Rey felt brave enough to broach some of her more personal issues with Kyp, wanting to hear from someone who was much more experienced in matters of the heart than she was.  
‘You’ve been married for a long time,’ she said to Kyp, when Rendol had gone to get them some more drinks from the bar. ‘What’s the secret?’  
‘In my opinion?’ Kyp thought for a moment. ‘Lots of love. Patience. Tolerance of the other’s um, how should I say this, quirkier habits?’  
‘What?’ frowned Rey. ‘Rendol’s got bad habits?’  
‘Ha, you’ve got to be kidding me,’ laughed Kyp, finishing off her drink. ‘I won’t spoil it for you, but he’s not the perfect guy you think he is. Anyway, I’ve got used to them enough now not to let them bother me. So that, and er… how should I put this? Lots of sex!’  
Rey giggled, ‘Seriously?’  
‘Of course,’ said Kyp, knowing that she could be honest with the young woman. ‘I don’t think it’s the be all and end all, but I still feel attracted to Rendol just as much as I did when we first met. I thought he was hot then, and I still think he’s hot now. Give or take a few extra pounds.’ She looked at Rey mischievously, ‘What about you? Have you and Ben…?’  
Rey flushed considerably. ‘I um… I can’t keep my hands off him,’ she admitted shyly. ‘I don’t know what it is but when I’m with him… I can’t think of anything else.’  
‘Good on you, girl,’ said Kyp admirably, pleased that Rey was not afraid to give into her desire. ‘And he’s an attractive man, I’m not surprised you feel that way.’  
‘You think he’s attractive?’  
‘Hell yeah! How can anyone not? It’s those eyes, and those lips.’ Kyp sighed, ‘If I wasn’t old enough to be his mum, I’d really like to…’  
‘Kyp!’ Rey stared at her, wondering what Rendol would think. But Kyp only laughed at her.  
‘I’m not being serious, although I do wonder a little bit what it would be like to kiss him. You’re a very lucky girl.’ Remembering what Rey had said about her life on Jakku, she went on, ‘I’m sorry if this is too personal but… was Ben your first time?’  
Rey nodded, ‘And for him too.’  
‘Aw, bless you both,’ smiled Kyp, taking her hands, ‘although I’m surprised at Ben. I thought he might’ve, um, had more experiences when he was younger.’  
‘Er, he said he felt strongly about a boy he trained with at Luke’s temple, but he didn’t do much about it,’ Rey explained. ‘I think they kissed once, but that was it.’  
‘Really?’ Her comment surprised Kyp, especially that Ben had been attracted to one of his fellow students. Perhaps she had the wrong idea about him.  
‘It didn’t make much difference in the end,’ Rey went on, ‘He was far more nervous than I was.’  
‘I imagine he was,’ laughed Kyp, sipping her drink. ‘He’s a sensitive boy.’  
‘And far less impulsive than me,’ sighed Rey. ‘I think I’m a bad influence on him.’  
Finally Rendol returned with their drinks, interrupting their conversation. ‘Sorry,’ he said, plonking himself down next to Kyp, ‘it was a nightmare getting served.’  
‘Well you’re back now,’ said Kyp, handing Rey her drink, a fruity cocktail. ‘Rey was just about to tell me why she’s a bad influence on Ben.’  
‘You are? I don’t believe that for a second,’ frowned Rendol.  
But when Rey explained why, they both found it hilarious. It gave Kyp a whole new understanding of the two young people, especially when it became clear quite how much they did enjoy having sex with each other.  
‘You shouldn’t be embarrassed about it,’ she said to Rey, ‘or let anyone else make you feel embarrassed about it. Sex is an important part of life, as well as a fun thing to do. As long as you’re both being safe, and both of you consent to it, you can do it as much or as little as you like!’  
Then it was Rey’s turn to laugh when Kyp and Rendol shared with her some of their early relationship stories, which were just as cringeworthy as hers. In the end, they all agreed that everyone had to start somewhere, and it was only through a mixture of mistakes and trying things out that relationships could start to settle down into a familiar pattern. It proved to be a useful learning experience for Rey too, with Kyp and Rendol giving her all sorts of tips about how to enhance her experiences with Ben, and by the time the conversation had moved on, she felt much better about, and understood more about, her feelings for Ben.  
It was early morning by the time she crawled into Kyp’s spare bed and, tired out, she soon fell asleep so deeply that she could not remember any of her dreams come the morning.


	22. Besties on Bespin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Travelling to Bespin, Rey finds something has died in the crew quarters of the Falcon. Whilst Rey is looking for clean sheets, a holo-disk falls out of the cupboard which turns out to be videos made by the Solo family, Han, Leia and Ben, which affects Rey greatly. On Cloud City, she finds out that Jannah and Lando have been busy re-developing it as a leisure and rehabilitation centre. Like everywhere else she has been, Ben has been there first and has left a surprise for her. With no rush, she spends several days exploring the place with Jannah and Lando.

The next morning, after a leisurely breakfast, Rey said goodbye to Kyp and Rendol, and returned to the hangar where she had left the Falcon, feeling slightly better about her plans, and her relationship with Ben. Talking to Kyp had given her the chance to unburden herself of a great deal of things that she had struggled to talk about with Rose and Finn, for reasons that she had never been sure about. There was, however, a certain amount of embarrassment when it came to discussing their relationships - which always ended up in them joking about - whereas Kyp had treated all her concerns seriously. She felt safe confiding in Kyp, perhaps because she was older, and had more experience than either her, or her friends.  
The first thing she did upon reaching the Falcon was to fit the new processor. She knew that it would not make much difference to her current journey, but the opportunity to do a little tinkering in the engines was irresistible. Whilst she worked, BB8 regaled her with some hair-raising stories it had learnt from the droids at Kyp’s offices, primly informing her that it was better they left the planet as soon as they could, considering the types of citizen that resided on it.  
When she had finished, Rey went into the cockpit and took her seat. She looked at the box that the processor had come in, questions swirling around her head. ‘You can’t be much further away,’ she whispered. Although she had not tried to reach out to him, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she was getting closer to Ben. She could feel sensations through the Force that reminded her of him, a restless, chaotic energy….  
‘Or it might just be you,’ she muttered to her stomach as it grumbled loudly. ‘I fed you not all that long ago!’  
BB8 came over, curious to know who she was talking to.  
‘No-one,’ she laughed, and the droid asked her where they were headed next. ‘I think we’ll go to Bespin,’ she told it, finally making up her mind. ‘It’d be good to see Lando and Hannah again. Actually, that’s one thing that Ben’s been good at,’ she went on as she entered the co-ordinates into the navicomp, ‘sending us off to see great people.’  
Starting the sequence for take-off, Rey expertly lifted the Falcon out of the hangar bay and up and over the busy streets of Coronet City. It was a wet, grey day, the rain lashing down onto the pavements and buildings. Making the city appear even more inhospitable and forbidding.  
‘I don’t think I’m gonna miss this place,’ she said to BB8, to which the droid readily agreed.  
It was a considerable journey and Rey wiled away the hours, checking the ship was still functioning properly and continuing her attempts to communicate with its onboard computers. Feeling tired, she went to have a nap in the crew’s quarters, only to find that something furry had gotten into the bed and died there, causing a terrible smell. It didn’t disturb her that much - on Jakku, it had been a regular occurrence - and she busied herself, removing the body, stripping the bed, and chucking everything into a sealed rubbish bag to dispose of later. Rooting around in the cupboards, she finally found some very stale-smelling spare sheets.  
‘I suppose these will have to do,’ she said to BB8, who was keeping her company. Pulling them out of the cupboard, something fell out at the same time, a small, flat, disc-shaped object. ‘Oh, what’s that?’  
Wheeling over, BB8 studied the object whilst Rey went to make the bed with the new sheets.  
‘What? It goes into a projection unit?’ Finishing off the bed, Rey picked up the disc and went to find the only projection unit she knew about in the Falcon, a small box fitted into the cabin wall, next to the games-board. Whilst BB8 watched, she inserted the disc and stepped back to see what happened.  
Immediately, a light shot out of the unit, projected down onto the floor. Shapes flickered in the light, images, that became clearer as the unit warmed up. Eventually she could see it was two people running around each other and shouting, a tall man and a young boy, both with messy dark hair.  
‘Ben!’ The sound came on suddenly, startling her. It was Han’s voice. ‘Ben! Look at your mother!’  
But Ben didn’t want to do as he was told, sticking his tongue out and running behind Han.  
Intrigued, Rey went to sit down on the couch at the side, finding that the images were much better from that particular angle. ‘Almost as if it was designed to be watched from here,’ she murmured to herself.  
It turned out to be images from the Solo Organa Skywalker family history, short films of mostly Han and Ben goofing about, pulling faces at each other, and trying to annoy Leia (which they were clearly very good at). There was Lando, the cool and sophisticated uncle, and Luke, serene yet awkwardly waving to the camera. Judging by Ben’s height and age, she guessed the films had been taken just before he had been sent to Luke for training. Towards the end, Chewbacca appeared, enveloping the boy in a massive hug, the whole sequence bringing tears to Rey’s eyes, only to be followed by a short clip of Ben and Leia that tipped her over the edge into full-on weeping. In the clip, Ben was clearly trying to teach his mom a Force trick that she either couldn’t quite get, or was pretending not to get. ‘Mom! You’re not doing it right.’ But just as he was starting to give up, Leia cheekily made the objects float. ‘Mom that’s cheating!’ Ben had complained, only for Leia to ‘magic’ some chocolate out of his ear.  
‘I love you, mom,’ was the last thing Ben said on the film before it winked off.  
It took a long time for Rey to compose herself after that.

Later, she kept herself occupied by trying to learn how to the play the complicated strategy game beloved by Chewbacca. In the end she was close to giving up after losing three times in a row to BB8, but fortunately the hyperdrive alarm started bleeping, indicating that she was getting close to Bespin.  
Heading into the cockpit, she cut in the sublight engines; as the streaks of light slowed down and returned to normal space, immediately she saw the huge gas giant of Bespin in front of her, streaked in orange and yellow as fierce winds blew the gases across the planet’s surface. The navicomp was locked into the co-ordinates for Cloud City, and she steered the ship carefully as she entered the atmosphere, immediately buffeted as the ship sought to counter the turbulence it encountered from outside. As the ship descended, it was not long until she saw it, the saucer-shaped city, suspended, and bathed in, orange-soaked clouds as the sun rose behind it. It was so beautiful that she gasped, and BB8 bleeped in alarm.  
‘It’s okay, BB8,’ said Rey with a smile, ‘I’m just surprised by how beautiful it is. I’ve only ever seen it from the inside.’  
BB8 was curious, she had been here before?  
‘Kind of,’ she smiled, knowing it was difficult to explain. But she broke off, seeing two speeders approaching the ship. Immediately the communications channel started beeping. Opening up the channel, she heard a cheery, ‘Good morning!’ from a voice that she recognised.  
‘Jannah!’  
‘Hello Rey! We saw you coming from a mile off. Follow me, we’ll find you somewhere to land.’  
The speeder executed a graceful about turn, and Rey steered the Falcon to follow it down towards an empty landing platform on the eastern side of the city. Landing the ship, Rey shot out of her seat and quickly gathered her things together, making it out of the ship just in time to see Jannah and Lando emerging through a door at the opposite end of the platform. Followed by BB8, she ran over to meet them, filled with excitement.  
‘Rey! It’s good to see you,’ said Lando happily, enveloping her in a big hug. ‘You should have told us you were coming!’  
‘I prefer a low key arrival,’ smiled Rey, letting him go, only to be grabbed in a tight embrace by Jannah.  
‘There’s nothing low-key about here,’ she laughed. As soon as she let Rey go, she studied her carefully. ‘You’ve cut your hair. I like it.’  
‘Thanks, it was getting a bit long.’  
‘Have you eaten?’ asked Lando, ushering them both inside the complex. He walked slowly, relying on his cane as the wounds from Naboo were still playing up every now and then.  
‘A little,’ said Rey, who had found an out-of-date ration bar on the Falcon to keep her going. ‘But you know me, I can always eat more.’  
‘That’s what I like to see, a hearty appetite,’ smiled Lando, giving some instructions to Lobot, his aide, beside him. As Lobot hurried off, Lando turned back to the two young women, who were already comparing notes about what had happened since they had last seen each other. ‘Who wants to take the scenic route?’  
‘I like the sound of that,’ said Rey.  
‘You’ve not been here before, have you?’ asked Jannah, linking her arm with her friend's as they walked along pristine white corridors, the large windows giving spectacular views over the rest of the complex. Rey was interested to see how the former mine had been turned into a rehabilitation and leisure centre, with all kinds of up-to-date treatments available for the disabled, the wounded and those who merely wanted the opportunity to relax. There were three swimming pools, private rooms with bacta treatment tanks, and therapists that offered everything from massage, to crystal and Force healing. Rey was particularly interested in the latter, although Jannah explained it was probably not on the same scale as Rey’s understanding of the Force.  
‘Er, kind of.’ Rey told them about her and Ben’s strange experiences with the Shadow; how they had been able to jump around in time and space, experiencing past events including the Imperial takeover of Cloud City. Lando was astonished to hear this, and was even more astonished when Rey accurately described events that had happened to him, Leia and Chewie at the time.   
‘There was also a locker,’ she said, as they came away from looking at one of the smaller swimming pools, ‘that Ben got a blaster from. A present from you,’ she said to Lando.  
‘Hmm,’ said Lando thoughtfully, remembering what she referred to. ‘That’s an easy test we can do.’  
‘What, to see if Rey telling the truth?’ asked Jannah, surprised at her father.  
‘I know she’s telling the truth,’ said Lando calmly, ‘I just want to see it with my own eyes.’  
They made a detour to the bank of lockers, which were still in the same place that Rey remembered, down an otherwise nondescript corridor. Reaching into his pocket, Lando took out a master key that he said would open any of the lockers inside the complex. Finding the correct locker, he opened it up and peered inside. ‘Well, this is strange.’  
‘What?’ Jannah was itching to see what was in there.  
Lando pulled out the recording device that was still there, looking puzzled. ‘There’s no blaster.’ He stepped aside so that both Jannah and Rey could see the now empty locker.  
‘That’s because Ben’s got it.’  
‘Well, well,’ said Lando, genuinely amazed.  
‘How did that work?’ frowned Jannah, staring at Rey.  
‘I don’t know,’ admitted Rey, ‘it’s a mystery to me and Ben as well.’  
‘It’s too early for mysteries,’ smiled Jannah, ‘let’s go and have breakfast.’  
They ate their breakfast in a beautiful white dining room, the long table filled with different types of food in a buffet style. Rey filled Jannah and Lando in as to what was going on in Coruscant, and her plans for restoring the Jedi Order, which they agreed was a valuable project. They were interested to hear about her journey so far, where she had been and the people she had met. After breakfast, Rey told them about the film she had found on the Falcon, and Lando suggested that they watch it. Seeing it prompted tears from Lando as he recalled for them the budding relationship that had been developing between Han and Ben, before it had been cut short by Ben’s Jedi training. ‘They never got a chance to really know each other.’  
Putting her arm around her father, Jannah hugged him close. ‘Not like us, eh?’ Looking over to Rey, she said, ‘Ben sure was cute when he was younger.’  
‘That reminds me,’ said Lando suddenly, before Rey could frame a witty response to Jannah’s comment. ‘Ben left something here for you, Rey, on his last visit. I’ve been puzzling about it ever since.’  
Whilst he went to fetch it, Jannah took Rey to one of the balconies overlooking the tumbling, swirling clouds of Tibanna gas that covered the surface of the gas giant.  
‘There’s a whole sea of liquid gas beneath these clouds,’ explained Jannah, who was keen to share the interesting quirks of her new home with Rey. ‘You need special protection to go and see it, but it’s pretty amazing. If you’re here a few days, perhaps we can get you down there?’  
‘I’d like that. How are you finding life here?’ asked Rey as they turned away from the balcony edge and wandered back inside. ‘Do you think you’ll stay?’  
‘Yes, I absolutely love it here.’ Jannah was nothing but honest, ‘And I don’t think Dad would let me leave now, even if I wanted to. Which I don’t. Dad’s so attentive, he’s spent hours telling me about this place and about his life. I can’t believe some of the things that he’s been involved in. But then, look at us! Who’d have thought we’d been through a war? Most of it feels like a dream to me now.’  
‘I know what you mean,’ replied Rey. ‘It feels like a whole ‘nother life.’  
‘D’you think you’ll stay on Coruscant?’  
Rey sighed. ‘I love being with Finn and Rose… and Poe when we get to see him… I really do. But I can’t help thinking that I need something more. And that there’s more for me out there, I just need to find it.’  
‘Is that why you’re making this journey?’  
‘Partly,’ she agreed. ‘It’s like I needed to keep challenging myself.’  
‘And… you’re missing Ben too?’  
‘Yes, there’s that too,’ Rey conceded. ‘But it’s more that I feel restless.’  
‘Dad’s the same. He can’t stop thinking about his legacy, what he’s gonna leave behind when he’s gone.’ Jannah took a seat on one of the white couches in the room, Rey sitting down next to her. ‘I don’t even want to think how long he’s got left…’  
‘He seems full of life to me,’ remarked Rey, remembering Ben’s comment, Lando will outlive all of us…  
‘Yes, he is, and it’s not that I think he’s going to pass on at any minute. But it’s got me thinking. About what my purpose is in life. What I’m going to do now that I’m free of the shackles of the First Order.’ She looked at Rey, ‘I guess that’s what your journey is about too?’  
‘You’d think that helping to save the galaxy would be enough, wouldn’t you?’  
‘I know, right?’ laughed Jannah. ‘I guess Ben’s the closest to what I mean. Finding his sense of purpose through helping others. But what I find odd about Ben is that it doesn’t make him any more positive about himself. Even if he helped everyone in the galaxy, he would still think that he hasn’t done enough.’  
‘But that’s part of Ben’s insecurity,’ sighed Rey, fiddling with her scarf. ‘He won’t ever allow himself to feel that he’s atoned for what he’s done. But then, how can something like that ever be quantified? How can someone truly say, okay Ben you’ve done enough now to make up for what you did. Who has the right to judge someone like that?’  
‘But then, there’s enough senators on Coruscant who think they have the right. For some, it won’t ever be enough. We’ve been keeping an eye on what’s been going on, and the demands for retribution must’ve been tough for Poe to negotiate.’  
‘They have been, yes. But Poe would be the first to say that he’s needed that too. He’s needed to hear all sides, to help him understand why his perspective is so important to him.’  
The door opened and Lando came in, ‘There you are.’  
‘Hey Dad, did you find it?’  
‘I did.’ He walked over to where they were sitting, joining them both on the couch. ‘I thought you two would be having cocktails by now?’  
‘What? This early?’ Jannah put her hand on her father’s arm, ‘give us a chance!’  
‘Come on, at your age I would’ve been on my third cocktail by now.’ Lando smiled and winked at Rey, ‘I’m only teasing. You’ve got plenty of time to get stuck in. Unless you have to be somewhere else, Rey?’  
‘Not especially,’ she admitted, realising that she had lost the momentum for her journey somewhere along the way. ‘I was supposed to be looking for somewhere to set up a Jedi temple but I got a bit distracted.’  
‘Oh, there’s plenty of time for that,’ said Lando encouragingly, ‘and you can stay as long as you like, you and BB8. I think Jannah here would appreciate some company that’s not her old dad.’  
‘Hey enough of the old! But I would love you to stay,’ said Jannah, taking Rey’s hand. ‘We’ll have a lot of fun, I promise.’  
‘Then how can I say no,’ she grinned, squeezing Jannah’s hand.  
‘Great, now that’s settled I can give you this,’ said Lando, handing Rey a small packet, something hard and bulky inside a piece of paper. ‘See what you make of it.’  
Unfolding the paper, Rey found a piece of burnt wood inside and a poem written in Ben’s distinctive hand that went like this;

A place of fire and destruction, of mistaken betrayal.  
They said I did it, and I took the blame.  
Hating myself.  
Spiralling downwards, into anger and rage.  
But you there with me, that part of me fades.

‘It’s powerful,’ was Lando’s comment, ‘but what does it mean?’  
‘It’s about Ben’s destruction of Luke’s temple,’ said Rey, her mind making the connection with what Ben, and Luke, had told her. ‘Ben thought he set it on fire after Luke… after he thought Luke tried to murder him. It’s why he told himself he couldn’t go back home, and went to Snoke instead. I guess this piece of wood is from the temple.’  
‘But you there with me,’ read Jannah out loud, peering over Rey’s shoulder. ‘That sounds like an invitation.’  
Rey hadn’t thought of that. ‘But I don’t know where Ben is.’  
‘I think he’s giving you a big clue in the poem,’ remarked Lando, surprised that she hadn’t noticed.  
‘What clue?’  
‘Why, isn’t it obvious? He’s at the old temple.’  
‘But why would he be there?’ asked Rey, puzzled.  
‘I don’t know. Looks like you’re going to have to go there to find out,’ suggested Jannah, looking over at her Dad. ‘Where is it?’  
‘Luke’s old temple?’ Lando thought for a moment, then remembered. ‘It’s on Dantooine. That’s right, I went there to visit Ben whilst he was training with Luke. He must only have been ten or eleven, something like that. From what I remember it was in a large meadow, surrounded by woods and grasslands. A beautiful place.’  
‘Hmm, that’s funny,’ said Rey, ‘Dantooine was one of the places that Maz suggested I should visit to look for a site for my Jedi temple.’  
Lando grinned, ‘Perhaps Maz was trying to push you in Ben’s direction?’  
‘It would have saved a lot of time,’ sighed Rey, ‘but then I wouldn’t have met so many great people, or had so much fun!’  
‘We can promise you even more fun,’ said Jannah, ‘isn’t that right, Dad?’  
‘Sure thing!’ he replied, smiling indulgently. ‘Why don’t you start by taking Rey swimming?’  
‘But I haven’t got anything to swim in,’ said Rey, disappointed, ‘and besides, I don’t even know how to swim.’  
‘That’s okay,’ said Jannah, looking her up and down. ‘You’re about my height, I’m sure we can find you something. And I can teach you to swim, they taught me in the First Order. I’m sure I can remember the exercises they gave us.’  
‘That settles it,’ said Lando, getting up again. ‘I’ll see you two at dinner, there’s a few bits of paperwork that I must do. I’ve been putting them off long enough.’  
‘See you later, Dad,’ said Jannah, then she turned to Rey, keeping hold of her hand. ‘Ready for some fun?’  
‘You bet!’ smiled Rey.  
Rey spent four happy days on Cloud City, exploring it with Jannah, eating piles of mouth-watering food, and finally getting to try cocktails on the terrace as Jannah had promised all those years ago. They talked about their friends, their lives, and their hopes for the future, finding much in common, and deepening their friendship even further. It was only the thought of seeing Ben again that managed to dissuade Rey from moving permanently to Cloud City. Jannah and Lando were such good company, she knew it would be amazing to spend her days there, relaxing in the beautiful surroundings of the complex. But, as Jannah had said, the need to do something meaningful with her life was a stronger impulse than a life of pure hedonism, and it was with few regrets that she got ready to leave for Dantooine.  
‘Don’t be a stranger,’ said Lando as he and Jannah said goodbye to her on the landing platform, BB8 buzzing around everyone’s feet. ‘We’ve loved having you here.’  
‘And I’ve loved being here,’ smiled Rey, hugging him tightly. ‘It really is an amazing place.’  
‘Feel free to come back whenever you like. You’re part of the family now!’  
‘I will.’ By her last count, she had gone from having no family to being adopted by at least four. It made her feel all warm and fuzzy inside.  
‘We’ll have to try and get the whole gang here,’ said Jannah, throwing her arms around her friend, embracing her tightly. ‘It’s been so much fun!’  
‘I know Rose is itching to come here,’ nodded Rey, clutching Jannah tightly, ‘perhaps when Poe finally gives her and Finn a holiday, she might get her cocktails too.’  
‘We’ll have to keep working on him,’ agreed Lando, ‘I bet he needs a break!’  
‘Poe? Yes, he does overdo things,’ said Rey, letting Jannah go. ‘Well then, I better go and find this elusive boyfriend of mine.’  
‘Tell him from me that he mustn’t leave it too long until you get married,’ ordered Lando playfully, ‘I want to still be here when it happens!’  
‘Dad!’ Jannah took his arm, not pleased with these continual reminders of his mortality.  
‘That’s a good point actually,’ said Rey, her dimples showing, ‘I can use that as leverage.’  
With one last final embrace for Jannah and Lando, she made her way up into the Falcon, tears of happiness in her eyes. It was true that her journey had not gone quite as she’d expected. It had ended up deviating as far from her original plans as could be possible, and she was no closer to finding a base for her potential students. But it had been more rewarding than she’d anticipated, reuniting her with old friends and making some new ones along the way.   
As she busied herself in the cockpit, getting ready for take-off, she started to feel anxious. It was a long way to Dantooine, which was at the opposite end of the galaxy to Bespin, and she knew she would have to find lots of things to occupy herself to stave off the boredom.   
‘What’s that. BB8?’ she asked in response to the droid’s series of bleeps. When BB8 repeated the question, she replied, ‘We’re going to Dantooine.’  
The droid bleeped again.  
‘I don’t know exactly what’s there, but I’m hoping Ben is.’


	23. The end of the journey

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey arrives on Dantooine to find that Ben is at Luke's old training temple, rebuilding it as a hospital for the local villages. He is surprised, and pleased, to see her and they find their connection has changed again. This time they can be in each others' minds without even trying, almost as if they are one person. Rey finds out what Ben has been up to all this time, and he admits that he is close to the end of his journey of self-discovery. They get reacquainted with each other's bodies, and have a long discussion about what they are going to do next. A misunderstanding leads to an argument but they quickly make up. We leave them both, happy on Dantooine.

Carefully, Rey landed the Falcon in a large, grassy meadow. It had been a long, and uneventful, journey to Dantooine, but finally she was here. After some investigation of the old Jedi books, she had eventually found out that Luke’s temple was located to the north of the planet, in an area of rich farmland and small, scattered settlements.  
So, here she was.  
For a long time she sat and stared out of the cockpit window, feeling nervous, not knowing what to expect. In the distance, she could see the remains of the temple and the high wall that surrounded it, reminding her that she had already been there once, albeit in strange circumstances. Most of it was hidden beneath wooden scaffolding and large cloth sheets, and around it was a busy hive of activity. She could see people climbing all over the scaffolding, others working on the walls or collecting heavy wheelbarrows of roughly cut stone, large piles of which were stacked up just outside in the meadow. To the right of the building, she could see a large oven, churning out wispy clouds of smoke.  
BB8 rolled into the cockpit and beeped urgently, breaking her concentration.  
‘What’s that?’ She listened to the droid patiently, ‘Yes, I think he’s here.’ Already she could feel Ben’s familiar traces in the Force. On the surface she felt calm but it hid the maelstrom of emotions inside her - her heart hammered in her chest and her stomach churned. She felt excited and anxious all at the same time. Taking a deep breath, she decided that it was now or never. Gathering herself together, she locked the console and exited the cockpit, calling for BB8 to follow her.  
Breathing deeply to calm herself, she went over to the exit hatch and opened it. Even BB8 could see her nervousness and he beeped sweetly to remind her that Ben was probably missing her as much as she missed him. This provoked a smile at last, ‘I hope so.’  
But as she walked down the gangplank, the anxiety threatened to overwhelm her. She didn’t know why she was so nervous. She loved Ben, he loved her. They were a dyad in the Force, bound together by a connection that was stronger than life itself. But some part of her was worried that his experiences since they had last seen each other had changed him. She clung to the thought that, even though that might be true, their feelings for each other had not. She thought of the poems he had written to her, safely stowed away on the Falcon, all of them expressing his love, and need, for her. That she was his sense of belonging, his family. Feelings that chimed with her own, although she knew she could never express them in the same lucid and coherent way that he could. Words were not her forte, but actions were.  
Tremulously, she smoothed down her robes and walked over to the remains of Luke’s temple. There was a cool breeze blowing across the grasslands, and she was glad of her scarf. As she approached the temple, she saw that some of the workers had already spotted her and they were shouting and gesturing to one another. It was hard to tell what they were saying, and she did not recognise the language. Perhaps she should not be there, but she could not turn away now she had come all this way.  
At her side, BB8 beeped curiously, his wheel stumbling over the rough grass and wildflowers.  
‘I don’t know. Let’s go and find out.’  
Coming to the bottom of the scaffolding, she shouted up to the workers, ’I’m looking for Ben Solo?’  
As soon as she said his name, the workers nodded and whispered excitedly together, before one of them disappeared around the back of the main structure. A young woman, dressed in dirty grey overalls, waved down at her, gesturing for her to wait perhaps.   
Whilst they waited, BB8 considered that it was a significant building project.  
‘It is, isn’t it.’ Rey wondered if that was the project that Ben had alluded to when she had seen him on Coruscant. No wonder he had been busy. Whilst she waited, she looked around, running her hand over the rough stone walls, wondering at the history of the place. Had it been a temple before Luke had used it?  
But after a minute or two of waiting, Rey started to grow impatient. She wondered if she should go and look for Ben herself, when, glancing up, she saw that someone new had appeared, high up on one of the platforms. It was a tall man, dressed in a scruffy black tunic and leggings, his dark, wavy hair swept back from a long, thin face.  
It was Ben.  
Holding a chunk of stone in one hand and a trowel in the other, he leaned over the edge of the scaffolding and stared down at her. Disbelief written all over his face. ‘Rey?’  
Excitement finally overcame her anxiety. She smiled and waved. ‘Ben!’  
‘Rey!’ Emptying his hands, he started to climb down the scaffolding, almost falling down in his haste to get to her. At the same time, Rey climbed up towards him. They reached the middle level of the scaffolding at the same time, staring at each other in wonder.   
‘You found me.’ He was unable to take his eyes from her. She looked more beautiful than ever, surrounded by an intense light that rippled and pulsed around her with vital energy. Making her hair and eyes gleam. He was surprised that he had not noticed it before.  
‘You’re not an easy man to find.’ Ben too, seemed different, even from when he had come to see her on Coruscant. He was bathed in a bright light that seemed to cause the air around him to shimmer in response to the changes in energy from the Force. No longer tainted by the misery and turmoil of the dark side, his skin was clear and tanned from being outside, his eyes shining with great intensity as he stared at her. Gently, she touched her hands to his face, hardly daring to believe that he was standing in front of her. Immediately she craved him, his touch, his kiss, all of him; it swept over her like a tremendous wave of feeling.  
‘I know, I’m sorry.’ Smiling, he leaned forward to kiss her, relishing the feeling as their lips pressed against each other, sensing the passions in her stirring just below the surface. Soon her arms were entwined around him, pulling him even closer to her, exploring his mouth with an intensity that he had sorely missed. Somehow he managed to refrain himself from taking her there and then, and eventually they broke off, to smile happily at each other.  
‘Would you like a tour?’ he asked, picking her up effortlessly in his arms before she could object.  
‘Do I have a choice?’ she giggled, grabbing hold of him as he swung her around playfully.  
‘Always,’ he said, his eyes shining. He had been so close to seeking her out, finally allowing himself to feel worthy of her love. But she had found him first, throwing him into happy confusion.  
Carrying her down the scaffolding, they walked past BB8. The droid bleeped excitedly when it saw them, although it was confused as to why Ben needed to carry Rey, couldn’t she use her legs anymore?  
Rey laughed, ‘It’s okay, BB8, we’re just happy to see each other.’  
‘Come inside,’ said Ben to the little droid, ‘there’s a couple of astromech droids you might like to meet.’  
As BB8 raced off into the building, eager to make the acquaintance of new mechanicals, Ben ducked underneath one of the large cloth sheets to show Rey what he had been working on.  
As he put her back down on the ground, he asked, ‘How did you find me?’   
‘I found your clues, although they ended up being a distraction from what I was supposed to be doing.’  
‘Which was?’ He led her across the courtyard towards the main building at the centre of the structure, pushing open the door and ushering her inside.  
‘I’ll tell you later,’ she said, entering into a large, cool hallway. ‘You can tell me what you’ve been doing first.’  
‘Okay,’ he followed her in, leaving the door open to let the light in. He knew that she was long overdue an explanation. ‘I’ve always wanted to come back here, to make up for what happened, you know, that awful night. When I finally plucked up the courage, I found the walls were surprisingly intact underneath all the rubbish.’ Taking her hand, he led her around the lower floors, revealing to her the size of the place. ‘Clearing all of that away took the longest time, the building’s gone up quickly in comparison. As you probably saw, I’ve got lots of help,’ he said modestly, ‘but there’s still a bit more to do.’  
‘What will you use it for?’ Rey looked around with interest. Inside, the walls had been plastered white and the floors laid with smooth planks of wood, except in the entrance which was laid in hardy grey stone. Decoration was minimal, but she liked it. It felt peaceful, homely, reflecting the beauty of the natural world surrounding it.  
‘The people here need a hospital,’ said Ben, stopping to examine a fresh coat of plaster that had been put on the wall. ‘They’ve never had a proper one, and I thought we could rebuild this place rather than start a new one from scratch.’  
There were two large rooms allocated for the wards, with several smaller rooms that could serve as storage or offices. At the back of the building, there was the beginnings of a kitchen and a separate dining room.   
‘When it’s all finished down here, we’ll tackle the upstairs. The floors are already in.’  
‘What’s up there?’ Rey pointed up the stairs as they walked past.  
‘Er, more rooms.’  
They went upstairs to have a look. The rooms here were above the surrounding wall, and the windows looked out over grassland and meadows. Rey couldn’t help leaning out, breathing in the cool, fresh air from outside. ‘It’s not the only thing you’ve been doing, though, is it?’  
‘No.’ It took him a while to register that she had asked him a question, he was gazing at her so intently. He was stood behind her as she looked out of the window and he leaned forward to touch her hair, the dark honey-coloured waves just skimming her shoulders.  
‘You could have just told me,’ remarked Rey, enjoying the feeling of his hands in her hair, occasionally catching the skin on her neck. Her eyes followed the grassland leading down to deciduous woodlands, cool and inviting in the midday heat. With a jolt, she realised it was the source of her visions about her and Ben, and she smiled to herself. The Force had been drawing her here all along.  
‘Where would be the fun in that?’ he murmured, reaching down to mark a line of kisses from her ear and along her neck, putting his arms around her waist. She leaned back against him as his mouth nestled in the space between her neck and her shoulder, sighing contentedly.   
‘I’m distracting you from your work.’  
‘That’s okay,’ he murmured, pressing against her, ‘I can’t think of a better distraction.’  
Turning round, she twined her arms around his neck. Their faces were inches apart, and she could feel the warmth of his breath on her skin. ‘What should we do?’  
‘I don’t know,’ he breathed, unbuckling her belt and letting it fall to the floor so that he could slide his hands up into her tunic to caress the soft, warm skin he found underneath. ‘There’s not much to do here.’  
His fingers burnt like fire on her skin, making her long for him. ‘Shame.’  
‘We’ll have to make our own entertainment.’ Her lips were mere millimetres away now, their breath mingling, but still he held back from kissing her, enjoying the tension building between them, not wanting to break it. They stood like that for a long time, their eyes closed, until they reached an almost meditative state; their breathing, even their heartbeats, synchronised, as if they were one. The Force flowed between them, connecting their minds, sharing thoughts, ideas, and images of where they had been and what they had seen. They felt the loneliness of being apart, and the intensity of their love for each other, and the friendship they had found with others. It was the power of the dyad, to be as one, to share and understand without words. The true extent of their connection was something that they would need to explore further, and both of them had the sense that they had barely touched upon what it was capable of.  
Ben saw the love that Rey’s friends had for her, the care and support that they had given her during their time of separation, although that was not the only role that they played in her life. The satisfaction that she got from being with them, sharing feelings, thoughts and ideas. The fun they had, joking and teasing each other. He saw the routine of her life, getting used to a new independence that was not shaped by others like Unkar Plutt, or the demands of war, but was due to her own efforts. Working hard at the Temple, caring for the Falcon, its great legacy entrusted to her, and training Finn, a blueprint for her growing understanding of what Force users might need from a mentor. He saw the time and effort that she put into thinking about the future, carefully going over ideas in her head, testing them out on her friends, and sharing them more formally with Poe. And he saw the depths of her love for him, the endless hope that one day they would be together. It made his heart ache all the more that he had denied it to her, and he knew that only an idiot would continue to prevent her from having what she wanted most of all.  
For Rey’s part, she saw his continued restlessness and uncertainty, the fear that he would never do enough to make up for the terrible things he had done. But also the growing realisation that helping others less fortunate for himself was what he had always been meant to do, that it was something that he enjoyed and gave him satisfaction, far more than the need to make himself feel better for his crimes. She saw him opening up to others, including Kyp, accepting within himself that he did need a range of people in his life. She saw how hard he worked on the various projects that he’d been involved with, always taking too much on but throwing himself into each of them with great vigour and dedication. It meant that he often forgot about his own wellbeing, but she could see that he was allowing others to care for him too. Underneath it all, she saw the great need he had inside him to be loved for who he was, and the growing, if slow, acceptance that he could be a good person despite everything that had happened. That he could not only love others, but they could love him in return. And in particular, the love he had for her, which raged like a fire inside him both day and night, a constant anchor for him in an ever-changing life. It made her heart ache to think that she had ever doubted his love for her, that the dark side had once tried to warp and twist it into something terrible when it had always been there, from the beginning.  
As the flow of sensations started to slow down, Rey opened her eyes to see Ben looking at her; for a moment they were mesmerised by each other but then their lips met and the floodgates opened. Somehow they made it to Ben’s cramped bedchamber, a chaotic mess of clothes, books, bits of paper and dirty plates that would otherwise have horrified Rey but she was too absorbed in him to notice. Sweeping all of the clutter off the bed and onto the floor, Ben pulled off his tunic and his boots, still managing to keep up with Rey’s hungry need for him, her lips on his as if she had never tasted him before. Then he helped Rey with her own clothes, removing his pants last of all and climbing onto the bed, Rey following him, her lips still pressed to his. She sat astride him and, hurriedly, he made sure that they were both safe before he entered her, gasping as they connected again but bodily rather than mentally, the Force sparking and spluttering around them with the depth of their passion.  
‘Oh Ben,’ she said, riding him gently, letting the waves of feeling wash over her unhindered, her mind present in the moment. Eventually the moment of release came and they crashed together, holding each other close until the feelings had subsided.  
They lay together afterwards, eyes closed, united in their euphoria.   
‘How did you know I needed a new processor for the shields?’ Rey asked suddenly, remembering the one thing that still bothered her out of the clues that he had left her.  
‘You told me?’ asked Ben woozily, not liking the intrusion of the real world into their happy bubble.  
‘No I didn’t,’ she insisted, propping herself up on her chin to look at him.   
‘You must’ve been dreaming about it, then,’ said Ben, batting her nose with his finger.  
Rey giggled, only she could dream about needing a new processor. ‘Have you been spying on me?’  
‘No,’ he protested, thinking for a moment. ‘I had these strange dreams sometimes when it felt like I was in your head. I could see everything that you were thinking and doing.’  
Rey felt disappointed. ‘Why didn’t I have that?’  
‘I don’t know, I’m not an expert.’  
Sitting up, Rey’s eyes swept around the room disdainfully. ‘Ben, this is disgusting.’  
‘I know, I know.’ He put his hands over his eyes, embarrassed. ‘In my defence, I’ve been busy.’ He peeped at her through his fingers, ‘I’d have tidied up if I knew you were coming.’  
‘I’d rather see you in your natural state,’ she laughed, pulling his hands away, ‘then I know what I’m dealing with.’  
‘You’ve certainly seen me in all my states,’ he grinned, giving her a quick kiss before getting up and starting to pull his clothes back on.   
‘Pass me mine, will you?’ she asked, pulling the cover over her. There was no glass or covering in the window and the unfinished room was chilly.  
Gathering her clothes up into a pile, he came and dumped them on top of her. ‘Are you hungry?’  
‘You know me,’ shrugged Rey, ‘I can always eat something.’  
‘Good, I’ll go and see what we’ve got.’ He gave her a crooked smile, ‘I’ll be in the kitchen when you’re ready.’  
‘Ben?’  
He was almost out of the door and he paused, his hand on the frame, ‘Yes?’  
‘Where’s the bathroom?’  
‘Er, it’s just out here, opposite. Don’t expect much though!’  
Ben disappeared and Rey hunkered under the covers, trying to get warm. The sheets smelt stale and unwashed, but also of Ben, and she lay her head on the pillow, meaning only to have a short rest. But she must have fallen asleep because the next thing she knew, Ben was calling to her.  
‘Rey!’  
‘What?’ She sat up, bleary-eyed. her hair falling over her face.  
‘Dinner’s nearly ready,’ he said, frowning at her. ‘Come on, you’re not even dressed!’  
Picking up her tunic, Rey looked at it helplessly, unsure which hole was meant to go over her head.  
‘Here.’ Ben helped her on with her clothes, seeing that she was still half asleep.  
Whilst Ben hurried downstairs to make sure the dinner wasn’t burning, Rey ventured into the bathroom. Ben had been right about not expecting much; there was a wooden box, which she assumed was the toilet, and a sink. And that was it. ‘How does he even shower?’ she wondered, opening up the lid of the box to find a long chute. Balancing over the hole, she did her business then flung a handful of wood shavings down after it. It was little different to how she had relieved herself on Jakku.  
Making her way downstairs, she followed the smell of food into a large kitchen. There wasn’t much in the way of furnishings; a few cupboards, a large, old fashioned oven nestled inside the fireplace, a sideboard, and a large table in the middle of the room. Over by another sideboard, Ben was fussing about, getting some drinks. He had already set the table, and two bowls of noodles with vegetables sat on top were awaiting consumption. Rey eagerly took her seat, her mouth already starting to water. ‘This looks amazing.’  
‘I hope it tastes alright,’ said Ben, bringing the drinks over to the table and taking the seat opposite her. He had taught himself to cook and the results were often variable.  
Rey shrugged and picked up her fork, it couldn’t be any worse than the food they had eaten on Ajan Kloss. After a few mouthfuls, she pronounced it delicious, much to Ben’s relief. But there was something else on her mind. ’You don’t have a shower.’  
‘Not yet.’  
‘Then how do you wash?’  
‘In the sink or I use the stream out the back.’  
Rey found the idea of Ben bathing in the stream hilarious. ‘What? You wash outside?’  
‘Yeah, what’s funny about that?’ he frowned, ‘We did it all the time when I was training here.’  
‘What?’  
‘Everyone did it.’  
‘Even Luke?’  
‘Yes, even Luke.’  
She looked at him mischievously. ‘Were you naked?’  
‘No! We kept our shorts on.’ He finally smiled, ‘We were Jedi, after all.’  
They lapsed into silence, busy eating their food. Rey tried to imagine that this might be her new normality, sharing her life with Ben, eating food together, even training together. The idea didn’t scare her as much as she thought it would, instead it gave her a strong sense of contentment. Hungry, she had soon finished her meal, and saw that Ben was nearly finished too. Picking up her drink, she got up and went over to where he was sitting. He moved his chair back so that she could sit on his lap.   
‘There’s some more if you want it.’  
‘I’m okay.’ Rey sipped her drink slowly. ‘What are you doing after this?’  
‘Washing these pots up…’  
‘No, I meant after you’ve finished the temple.’  
‘Oh.’ He shrugged, ‘I don’t know. It depends.’  
‘On what?’  
‘On what you’re doing, sweetheart.’ He sat back, regarding her solemnly. ‘So what are you doing?’  
Rey put her drink down. ‘Ask me again later.’  
‘Why all this secrecy?’  
‘No secrecy, I want you to kiss me first. We’ve got a lot of catching up to do.’  
‘We do, do we?’ He tried to keep his cool as she swung her legs either side of the chair to face him.  
‘Uh, huh.’ Rey patted his face, ‘It’s okay, I don’t want anything else.’  
‘What if I do?’ he grinned, putting his arms around her waist.  
‘Then I might be persuaded.’ There would be plenty of dancing around each other, but she felt much more relaxed in his company, as if knowing that they had days to be together, instead of hours, had calmed down her fevered brain. There was no desperate need to consume him like before.  
They had just started to kiss when there was a knock on the door. Breaking off, embarrassed, Rey and Ben both turned to see that it was one of the workers, looking amused to have found them together. He said something to Ben in a language that Rey didn’t understand, although she liked the sound of it, soft and lilting.  
‘No, no it’s fine,’ said Ben, listing intently for a moment to what the man had to say. ‘Okay.’ Immediately, he got up, lifting Rey from his lap and putting her back down on the chair. ‘I’ll be back in a minute,’ he said to her, and disappeared off outside.  
Finishing off her drink, Rey wandered around the temple on her own. She tried to find BB8, but the droid was nowhere to be seen, and eventually she gave up. Instead, she went back to Ben’s room and tidied his books, looking for something interesting to read. When Ben eventually returned, that was where he found her, looking through a book on the history of the Clone Wars.  
‘Problem solved?’ she asked him.  
‘There wasn’t a problem,’ he said, looking distracted. ‘Come on, let’s go for a walk.’  
They went out into the grounds behind the temple. Here, the meadows were neglected and unkempt, but Rey preferred them that way, it made them rich with flowers and wildlife. ‘That’s why I couldn’t live on Coruscant forever,’ she said to Ben as they walked through the long grass, ‘why would anyone want to live somewhere like that when they could have this?’  
‘Won’t you miss the shops?’  
He was trying to wind her up again. ‘You can have shops, if you want. I’d rather have trees.’  
Behind the trees was the stream that Ben had mentioned, and there was a small half-ruined stone building, built in the same style as the temple, next to it. They sat together on the steps that led down to the water, watching the slow, ponderous flow of the stream, protected from the glare of the sun by the trees that hung over them, the leaves almost touching the water. Despite the sun, it wasn’t that warm because of the breeze, and Rey was grateful for Ben’s closeness, his body sheltering her.  
‘Did you come here a lot when you were training?’ she asked him, thinking it was a lovely, peaceful spot. A hidden bird was singing a repetitive strain of lilting notes, the water gurgling as it flowed sluggishly around the rocks and pebbles that made up its bed.  
‘Yeah, me and er, Tai would come here to talk.’  
‘Just talk?’ She looked at him sceptically.  
‘Yes,’ he said defensively, staring at the stream. ‘You know I’m rubbish at telling people how I feel about them.’  
Laughing, she patted his arm. ‘I’m only teasing.’ She sighed, admiring the view. ‘It’s so pretty here.’  
‘I thought you’d like it.’ Searching in a pile of pebbles, Ben found a green banded stone and gave it to Rey, thinking it matched the colours in her eyes. ‘Here.’  
‘Thanks.’ They sat for a moment, enjoying the tranquility. And she did try to relax, she really did. But Rey’s mind was working overtime again, wanting to make sure that her assumptions about the way in which their lives might be going from now on were not misleading her. She could tell that Ben was getting more and more tense because she was, but she had to press on. ‘So,’ she said, ‘did you find out who Ben Solo is?’  
‘I think so.’ He smiled faintly, looking over at the trees on the other side of the stream. ‘He’s someone who can be shy and introverted, and doesn’t always like attention, but who happened to be born into a family of heroes, and granted immense powers by the Force. Someone who was caught up in a war between good and evil, and who in response to a misunderstanding, made some terrible choices that led to millions of people dying unnecessarily.’ His voice cracked a little but he went on, ‘But by some miracle he was given the chance to find a new purpose. To help others, and the galaxy, to heal. He’s… he’s someone who knows where he went wrong, and he realises now that one thing he should have done was to accept his legacy. To see that it didn’t define him as much as he feared.’ He paused for a moment, then reached out for her hand; ‘He also hates being alone.’   
Rey smiled, clasping his fingers tightly. ‘I hate being alone, too.’  
‘The silence is terrifying. I want you in my head, all the time.’ He studied her for a moment, realising how much he had missed being with her. She forced him to get out of his own head, to see things from a different perspective. It felt so natural for them to be together that he wondered how he had thought he could survive without her, even for a short time.  
‘I can get behind that.’ It sounded like he was closer to accepting himself than ever before.  
‘What do you need?’ He wondered if their time apart had given her greater clarity about her own place in the wider scheme of things. Their meditative connection before had given him some insight into her thoughts, but he wanted to hear them from her, in her own words.  
‘I need a project,’ she replied, knowing that she was treading old ground. But it helped her to be certain too. ‘Something with purpose. Not just for myself but for others.’  
‘You’re still thinking about reviving the Jedi order?’  
‘Yes.’ She told him her initial ideas, about how she wanted to develop a more flexible approach to the idea of being a Jedi, focused on key principles rather than a rigid hierarchy of training, of Masters and Padawans. That she saw emotions as integral to the Jedi’s relationship with the Force, including negative emotions such as anger and fear, and she would seek to understand why that was, rather than trying to ignore them or push them aside. That the darkness was as much a part of the Force as the Light. Whilst she spoke, Ben listened patiently and, when she finished, she asked him what he thought.  
‘What do I think?’ repeated Ben, collecting together the thoughts he’d had over the intervening years. ‘I think you’re right to create something, a way to help those who are Force sensitive to understand their powers and use them in positive ways. And I think you’re right to question the way in which the Jedi understood the Force. I mean, think about the two extremes. The Jedi taught us that to feel certain emotions was wrong.’ He looked at her meaningfully, ‘Like the love we have for each other. The Jedi would say it was wrong. But it’s something so fundamental… I don’t know how I could.’  
‘Nor me,’ said Rey. ‘I think we’re agreed that it’s not possible to ignore any of our feelings, even extreme or negative ones. Nor that we should completely lose ourselves and our identity in the service of the Force, becoming its vessel.’  
‘That’s why they trained them young,’ said Ben, playing with another pebble that he had found by his feet. ‘So they didn’t have a chance to have a personality.’  
‘I don’t think that’s true,’ said Rey, wondering if Ben was testing her, or if he really believed what he was saying. ‘There were styles of training and combat to suit different personalities, and the kyber crystal was personal to each Jedi…’  
‘Yes, they did try to find the strengths of each student,’ Ben conceded, ‘but each individual had to fit into a long-established ideal of what a Jedi should be. There was no room to be an individual, that’s why the Sith and the Dark Jedi were formed as an antidote to that conformity.’   
‘And they venerated an individual’s power in the Force,’ she realised, ‘controlling and using the Force to increase it…’  
‘Right! The Sith were encouraged to use their passion only for themselves and for the pursuit of power. I mean, some of them had altruistic aims believe it or not, like protecting their loved ones, or saving their people. But it was the means of obtaining power that was wrong because it interfered with the will of the Force. And this is where I struggle the most with what it means to be a Jedi - who decides what the Force’s intention is? Who has that power?’  
Rey frowned. ‘Surely the individual who feels the Force understands its will?’  
‘But do they?’ persisted Ben. ‘What if we both felt the Force and it was telling us to do something different. Who would be right?’  
‘That’s why they had the Jedi Council,’ Rey pointed out. ‘If there was a conflict, they would try and interpret the meaning.’  
‘They could try, but the key word there is interpret. Someone had to decide.’  
‘Why are we arguing about this?’ Rey had to ask, not sure what he was getting at.  
‘I’m not arguing,’ sighed Ben, ‘I’m just trying to make sense of it all in my head. How you interpret the Force and its will is going to be critical. Like… um…. the Jedi allowed slavery to continue because to dismantle it would be interfering with the will of the Force.’  
‘The Jedi saw slavery as the will of the Force?’ Rey couldn’t believe it.  
‘Yes, part of the natural order. The Force is both Light and Darkness,’ explained Ben. ‘Some Jedi believed that it was enough for them to exist, that their presence would ensure the balance towards Light. They couldn’t actually do anything though because that would be interfering with the will of the Force.’  
‘So where do you stand on this?’  
‘Becoming Supreme Leader was a disaster,’ said Ben truthfully, ‘but it helped me to realise that the pursuit of power for its own gain is empty and unfulfilling. Once you’ve gained all that power, what do you do with it?’  
‘Conquer more galaxies,’ she said quietly, remembering what Poe had said about the aims of the First Order under Hux.  
‘That’s right. And where does that end? Until you meet a bigger power and they defeat you?’ he sighed, ‘If you can’t use power for something positive, there’s no point to it.’  
‘Then we’re agreed,’ said Rey, leaning over to kiss him on the cheek. ‘We need to steer a middle path.’  
‘I think so.’ He looked at her for a moment, trying to frame his thoughts. ‘So what were you looking for when I er, distracted you?’  
‘I was looking for somewhere inspiring to get things going,’ she explained, ‘perhaps even build something temporary where I could start to train a few Force users.’  
‘I thought you wanted to travel around?’  
‘I do, yes, but I feel like I also need somewhere fixed. You know, a base to travel from.’  
‘Yeah, I get you.’ There was the merest hint of a smile on his face. ’Ahch-To is nice.’  
‘But too isolated,’ she countered, ‘I don’t want students to be kept away from the realities of the galaxy. I want them to be relevant.’  
‘Takodana? The mountains would be great for training…’  
‘Too many bad memories.’  
He understood what she meant immediately. ’What about Naboo, all those islands?’  
‘Too many dangerous things in the water,’ she said with a shudder.  
Ben thought for a moment. ’There’s the temple on Coruscant.’  
‘Poe suggested that too,’ said Rey. ‘He wanted me to be custodian of it.’  
‘He did?’ It amused him that she had just casually introduced something so important into the conversation.  
‘But I said no. It’s too big,’ Rey went on when he looked about to question her decision. ‘They must have trained thousands of Jedi there, I’m only going to start with a few.’  
‘Okay, so you need something smaller.’ There was one obvious conclusion in his mind. ‘What about the temple here?’  
‘Really?’ It had not even crossed her mind.  
‘Yes.’  
‘It’s a good size,’ she agreed, ‘but I wouldn’t want to take away from your hospital.’  
‘There’s no reason you couldn’t train students here too,’ he reflected, turning around to look over to the main temple site. ‘I mean, the hospital will take up most of the lower floor but there’s all these extra buildings, and we could always extend it out the back.’ He fell silent, mulling over ideas in his mind, before he realised, ‘Sorry, I’m taking over. It’s your project.’  
’But I need someone to help me,’ she said, turning the pebble over in her fingers. ‘Someone who knows all about the light and the dark side of the Force.’  
‘And who might that be?’  
‘Oh I don’t know.’  
He regarded her thoughtfully. ‘I’m in, as long as you don’t have lots of rules and regulations. You might have noticed that I’m allergic to them.’  
‘Like all Skywalkers…’  
‘And Solos.’  
‘I didn’t plan on having many,’ she said brightly. ‘Although some will be obvious. Like… no flirting with the dark side.’  
‘Or dark side users?’ he laughed at her way of putting it.  
‘Yes, and that.’ She grinned, taking him all in. His handsome, expressive face and sensitive eyes. The smell of sweat and of him. It was difficult to concentrate on what she wanted to say. ‘Although, if we’d flirted more, would you have turned sooner?’  
He smiled, embarrassed, ‘Perhaps if you had kissed me sooner.’  
Leaning forward, she pressed her mouth to his, enjoying the long moment of contact between them, his lips pressing feverishly against hers. When they finally broke apart, she asked, ’So that’s a yes, then?’  
‘Well, if it helps you, I think it would work well,’ said Ben, thinking she meant the temple. ‘The students could help out in the hospital too, if you wanted.’ It would be a way to bring the community and Jedi closer, something that he thought was essential to any reboot of the Order. On Coruscant, the Order had become too isolated, only answerable to themselves.  
It was not something that she had thought of, and, reflecting on what he had been saying, she realised how far Ben had come. The darkness within him had made him self-absorbed, selfish even, overly focused on his own perceived shortcomings and need for control. But now he was focused on things outside of himself, helping him in ways that were far more important than becoming the strongest, most powerful Jedi. All in all, using the temple here was a surprisingly easy decision to make. Perhaps too easy.  
‘Come on,’ said Ben, starting to get up. He felt restless. ’Let’s keep walking.’  
They followed the stream until they came to several large rocks in the water that created a natural bridge into the woods on the other side. After jumping across, Rey followed Ben into the cool shade of the trees, enjoying the sensation of being in nature after too long spent in urban environments. Sunlight filtered through the leaf canopy, creating the most vivid greens and browns as well as the greatest abundance of wildflowers that Rey had ever seen. Mingling together in the undergrowth were tall, willowy plants with delicate yellow petals, lording it over shyer, dark-green leaved ones with blushing pink flowers and delicate trails of intense blue. She spotted great mossy stones lurking in amongst the grass and ferns, and above them, the calls of hidden birds provided a noisy, but strangely calming backdrop to the scene. Occasionally a flash of wings could be seen as they flew from tree to tree.  
‘It’s beautiful here,’ she said, pausing to look at another type of flower, its petals shaped like fragile bells hanging down.  
‘I thought you’d like it.’  
‘Do you think you’ll stay here, when the temple’s finished?’ she asked Ben as they pushed their way through the untamed undergrowth. She couldn’t help thinking that Luke’s temple must still be a place of bad memories for him.  
‘I don’t know,’ he admitted, stopping to move aside some branches so that they could get through. ‘I mean, there’s no reason not to. I did enjoy my training whilst I was here, before…’ He stopped, reminding himself to be positive. ‘I need to remember. To stay strong, to stop it from happening ever again.’ He knew that the darkness would always be with him. It was part of the Force, as well as the light. But as long as Rey was there, he could resist it. ‘Mostly it depends on what you want to do.’  
‘You know what I want to do.’  
‘Yes, you’ve told me you want to train new Jedi,’ he said patiently. ‘But that’s not very much to go on. I mean, who will your students be? How many are you going to have? Where are they coming from? How old are they going to be?’  
‘I haven’t thought about anything like that yet,’ she confessed, irritated by the number of questions he was throwing at her.  
‘Really?’ He assumed that would be critical to the entire project. ‘Perhaps where you’re going to do it is the least of your concerns, then?’  
She bristled at his comment, but conceded that he had a point. She had been blithely talking to people about starting something when she had not yet considered some of the most basic things. What if she was doing it all wrong? ‘Okay, perhaps I need to think more about things before….'  
‘There’s so many other things that you need to think about,’ he went on, not listening to her now he was getting caught up in his own thought processes. ‘What will replace the Jedi code, if you want to keep the same master and padawan system, all the different trials…’  
‘You really missed out on your mother’s diplomacy skills, didn’t you,’ Rey interjected, folding her arms grumpily.  
‘What?’  
‘Look I know I haven’t thought about things properly yet…’  
‘I didn’t mean that you had to have everything written down in detail…’  
They were talking at cross purposes, and both of them broke off, uncertain. Wondering what to do to make things better, he clumsily tried to kiss her, but she evaded him.  
Immediately, alarm bells began to ring in his head. She had never not wanted to kiss him before. ‘I’m sorry.’  
‘It’s fine.’ Rey brushed him off, too busy ruminating on the fact her plans seemed to have fallen apart so quickly under Ben’s scrutiny. It occurred to her that Ben was the first person that had really questioned what she wanted to do. Everyone else had admired her for her ideas and determination, and she guessed that it had spoilt her. Whilst she had expected Ben to be her harshest critic, she felt peeved that he had almost nothing positive to say about her plans. It made her wonder if she had been too hasty in accepting his offer of using the temple here. She needed to stop, and think much more carefully about her students - who they would be and what they would need.  
They walked in silence for a long time, Ben trying to work out what he’d done wrong, and Rey becoming more and more convinced that in her eagerness to have a project mapped out, she’d done the very thing she didn’t want to do. Try and fit in with someone else’s plans - in this case Ben’s - rather than thrashing them out herself. His eagerness to help her had been heartening and the idea of letting him down was difficult, but she knew she had to do something before things got out of control. ‘Ben, I need to say something.’  
‘What?’ There was something in her voice that made him feel panicked.   
’You’re right, I’m making a mistake,’ she began, wondering how to frame her concerns clearly.  
Ben immediately thought the worst. ’You don’t really want to be here, do you?’  
‘It’s not that,’ she insisted, not for the first time wondering how his mind worked.  
‘You don’t love me anymore…’ he went on, trying to keep talking in case it would delay the inevitable breakup.  
‘It’s definitely not that!’  
‘Then what is it?’  
They stood looking at each other. Nothing making sense.  
‘I’m not sure using the temple here is the right idea,’ she blurted out, finally saying what was on her mind.  
‘Is that what this is about?’  
‘Yes.’  
‘You’re just not sure about using the building here?’  
‘Yes.’  
He burst out laughing, wondering why he had been so worried. ‘Dammit, you know how to scare me!’  
‘I just need to think about it more,’ she admitted, ‘but you don’t mind if I don’t?’  
He shrugged, ‘It’s up to you. I want you to be happy.’  
‘I mean, I’m not saying I won’t,’ said Rey, backtracking slightly, ‘but you’re right. I need to think about all the other elements first.’  
‘You know you can always tell me to shut up if I’m not being helpful,’ he said, putting his arm around her as they started walking again.   
‘I guess,’ she said, still finding her way with him. It was a strange mixture in her head; part of her felt like they had never been apart, the other part still felt raw, bombarded by the many different emotions that came from their connection. ‘I don’t want to hurt your feelings.’  
‘Oh, don’t worry about that,’ he scoffed. ‘No one else does. You can be as brutally honest as you like with me. I don’t mind, honestly.’  
‘Okay, that’s good.’ Come to think of it, he had always been brutally honest with her. To the point of idiocy (here she was thinking about his words to her in the throne room).  
‘Let’s have a practice,’ he went on, unable to help himself. ‘Tell me what my worst habits are. Get them off your chest.’  
‘What?’ Rey wasn’t sure if she wanted to do it.  
‘Go on, hit me with all the things you find annoying. I promise I won’t get upset.’  
‘Okay.’ Rey thought for a moment, ‘Um… you tend to treat things, including people, as research projects. You can seem cold and detached in response to problems when all someone wants is a cuddle. You get carried away with the smallest things and end up having a crisis about nothing. You don’t deal with anger very well…’  
‘That’s a good point…’  
‘In fact you’re always having some crisis or another,’ she went on, warming to her subject. ‘You’re too hard on yourself and you always assume the worst, and sometimes that means you’re too critical of other people when…’  
‘Okay, okay, I get the picture,’ laughed Ben, wishing he’d never asked. ‘All of me is annoying.’  
‘There you go, assuming the worst.’  
‘I know, I need to stop.’ He sighed, ‘This… this whole thing of being together is bound to be odd at first, isn’t it? We’ve been apart a long time. We have to get used to each other all over again.’  
Rey nodded. ’I can’t quite believe that we’re here. In the same place,’ she said, as they climbed over a large, rotting tree trunk, half covered by the rampant undergrowth. ‘I keep thinking that I’m going to wake up. And you’ll be gone.’  
‘I can understand that,’ he agreed readily, jumping down to the ground. ‘It’s a big change.’  
He went to give her a hand but instead of getting down, she stopped to look at him. Mesmerised, as she always had been, by his eyes. They were so pretty, framed with long lashes, and she felt like she could drown in them. ‘But my feelings haven’t changed,’ she said, gazing at him, ‘I love you, Ben Solo.’  
‘I love you too,’ he murmured, brushing the hair back from her face with his hand, leaving his fingers lingering on her cheek. ‘Rey of Jakku.’  
‘Okay, it’s your turn now,’ she said brightly. ‘What’s my most annoying trait?’  
Ben considered it. ‘I can be honest?’  
‘Why? Is it that bad?’  
‘It’s pretty bad.’  
‘What?’  
‘Are you sure you want to hear this?’  
‘Yes!’  
‘Okay,’ he paused dramatically, ‘you’re…’ He stopped again, uncertain. ‘You’re sure I can do this?’  
‘Of course.’  
‘No repercussions?’  
‘Get on with it, Ben!’  
‘Okay. Your worst trait is that… is that you have none.’  
‘What? I don’t believe you!’  
‘Believe it. You’re perfect,’ he insisted, his eyes shining. ‘Everyone else thinks so too.’  
‘Nobody’s perfect…’  
‘That’s a matter of interpretation,’ he grinned, ‘and I think…’  
‘Oh, shut up!’   
He was driving her to distraction and she gave into her feelings eagerly, pressing her mouth to his in a long and tender kiss. Sensations began to build as he held her face in his hands, exploring her mouth with his. As their kisses became deeper and more passionate, things quickly escalated and soon, Rey found herself leaning against a tree, looking up at the clear blue of the sky just glimpsed through the leaves whilst he pleasured her with his fingers, feverishly kissing her neck until she cried out his name in excitement and release. Seamlessly, he made his way into her, lifting her up and onto his erection, sighing as her thighs clenched around him, her arms around his neck. As the woodland life faded into the background, it wasn’t long until they both came, and they held onto each other tightly until the churning emotions inside them finally began to subside.  
Not wanting to let him go, Rey laid her head on Ben’s shoulder, her arms and legs still wrapped around him. The tension she’d felt had evaporated, replaced by a calm sense of contentment. ‘What took us so long?’ she whispered into his neck.  
‘I have no idea,’ he whispered back happily.

When they got back to the temple, Ben and Rey climbed up onto the uppermost levels of the scaffolding to look out over the surrounding land. Unlike the unproductive wastelands of Jakku, Dantooine was a planet of rich agricultural land, dotted with small, mainly rural settlements and a few larger cities where produce was fairly traded. As such, both the Empire and First Order had left the planet relatively untouched, recognising its importance as a food source. Gently rolling grassland stretched as far as the eye could see, interspersed with large, dense forests and smaller coppices. Far in the distance, the scenery gave way to mountains, their summits shrouded in mist.  
‘It is beautiful here,’ sighed Rey, leaning back against Ben, who stood behind her, his arms encircling her waist. ‘The Jedi were good at choosing sites for their temples.’  
‘One of the only things they were good at,’ said Ben, laughing as Rey looked up at him sharply, ‘I’m joking!’  
But he was right in some ways. As Luke had said, the Jedi had lost their way, had come to believe in themselves as the only way to understand the mysteries of the Force. It was time to go back to the original purpose of the Jedi; kind, compassionate warriors that worked for the good of the galaxy, not for themselves. That were strong in the light, and acknowledged the dark, rather than tried to deny that both existed in harmony through the Force. Not to shun emotion but to understand it. And, in an important change, to allow close relationships with friends and family as well as lovers, because personal wellbeing was important. As Rey now realised, it was the way in which those relationships were experienced that created the threat, not the relationship itself.  
‘What are you thinking?’ Ben murmured, nuzzling her ear with his lips.  
Rey was about to answer but her stomach growled loudly instead. Distracted by his presence, she hadn’t realised how hungry she was.  
‘Come on,’ he ordered, patting her stomach. ‘Let’s go and find you something to eat.’  
As they climbed back down the scaffolding, many emotions coursed through Rey’s head - excitement, hope, happiness. Ever since she had had the fateful meeting with BB8 and Finn on Jakku, life had never ceased to stop amazing her. For as long she could remember, she had always wondered what her story would be, where life would take her. Once, she had thought that she would end her days on Jakku, an old woman, wrinkled and bent over from years of scavenging the metal lands for parts. Now she had come further than she had ever dreamed, finally finding the belonging that she sought. With her friends, with Ben.   
Ben was already at the bottom, waiting for her. ‘Hey!’ she cried out as he grabbed hold of her and hoisted her over his shoulder.  
‘You’re taking too long,’ he laughed, running into the temple as she shrieked with laughter.  
And, as Rey reflected later, she could not help thinking that the next chapter of their story was only just beginning.


	24. Epilogue

Rose sat back and looked at Finn over the edge of her cup. 'Have you heard from Rey yet?'  
They were sat in the cafe of the Galactic Museum. It was quiet, a few other couples were sat together, politely talking about objects or works of art. There was one family, the children filling their cute faces with cake. Then there was Finn and Rose, who were not really there for the galleries or to be intellectually stimulated. They were more interested in testing out the cake, as recommended by their absent friend. They had not been disappointed, and Finn was particularly taken with the sticky sponge he had chosen, the icing soft and sweet on his tongue. He was ever so slightly annoyed that Rose was trying to distract him from it with questions.  
'Yeah, the other night she sent a message from Dantooine.' He sighed, wishing that he had got two pieces of cake. His current piece was almost at an end. 'Mmm, Rey was so right about this place. This cake is delicious. Possibly the best on Coruscant...'  
'You think?' Rose frowned at him, wanting to hear more about Rey, not the cake.  
''I do... I mean, you've tried it too...'  
'But what about Rey - what's she up to?'  
'Um...' Finn thought back to the previous night - when the message had come through he had been with Poe. 'She said she was with Ben, he's rebuilding Luke's old temple or something like that.'  
'Clearly you weren't paying too much attention,' Rose chided him. They hadn't heard from Rey in weeks and she was annoyed that Finn seemed so blasé about it.  
'Of course not, I was with Poe!' grinned Finn, letting her imagination do the rest. 'Okay, I'll own it. We were a bit tipsy and we were going to answer her but then things happened... and we forgot.'  
Tutting, Rose shook her head. 'You were drinking. Again?'  
'I know, I know. But it's the only way he can relax,' admitted Finn, close to polishing off the last morsel of cake. 'You know what we're working on is getting to him. And then there's the re-election coming up soon.'  
Rose knew what Finn referred to. Not only was Poe's term as Chancellor coming to an end, but his special project to bring down the crime syndicates, or at least diminish the unspoken power they had over parts of the Republic, was taking him into some dark places. There had been opposition to his plans from the senators of Kuat and Riosa, systems that had previously had some murky associations with criminals that were connected with the rise of the First Order. What those connections were was something that Rose and Finn were helping Poe to establish, but it was taking time to unravel the threads of influence. 'He needs a vacation.'  
'I know, but you think he'll let himself have one? It'd be easier to train a bantha to be Chancellor.' Both of them knew how stubborn Poe could be.  
They sat in companionable silence for a moment, drinking their tea and eating their cake. Finishing off his cake, Finn realised that Rose had forgotten to tell him about how her second date with Connix had gone. 'How was your night with Kaydel?'  
'Oh, er, it was lovely,' stammered Rose, uncharacteristically shy all of a sudden. Although they had been friends for a long time, her deeper feelings for Kaydel - which had emerged over the course of working on several projects together - had taken her by surprise. It was something that she definitely wanted to explore more. 'We had a great time.'  
'What did you do?'  
'Oh, we went for a meal at Merko's, then we went to one of the bars nearby.' Rose shrugged, 'Not terribly exciting.'  
'Come on, it's lovely that you two are getting on so well! D'you think you'll see more of each other?' Finn could sense that Rose was keeping most of what had happened to herself but he didn't begrudge her, clearly she wanted to take things slowly and carefully.  
'Oh yeah, sure.' Rose wondered how much she should tell him, but then decided to be honest. 'We're er... we're going on vacation together.'  
'What?' Finn raised his eyebrows in surprise, 'already? You've only been on two dates!'  
'I know, but it feels right, okay! We've known each other for ages. It's not like she's a stranger,' Rose pointed out. 'Poe gave us a few days off, Kaydel mentioned that she was going home and... and she asked me if I wanted to go with her.'  
'So, where's home for Kaydel?'  
'Dulathia.'  
'Not heard of it,' admitted Finn.  
'Neither have I, but Kaydel says it very beautiful.' Looking sadly in her empty cup, Rose wondered if she should go and get another drink. 'What about you? What are you going to do?'  
'What with my time off?' Finn hadn't even thought about it. 'I don't know. I was thinking about going to see Rey and Ben...'  
'Good luck with that!' laughed Rose.  
'What do you mean?' asked Finn, but Rose only smiled. 'Come on, they're bound to have calmed down by now. Besides, Rey said in her message that we should go and see them, she wouldn't say that if...'  
There was a sudden soft bleeping noise, coming from inside Finn's jacket. Reaching inside, he saw that his comlink was flashing. 'Hey, Poe! We were just talking about you!'  
'Oh good, er, something's come up,' came Poe's voice over the tiny speaker, 'Can you come over to the office right away?'  
'Yeah, sure,' agreed Finn, hearing the urgency in Poe's voice. He wondered what had happened, a sense of dread coming over him. 'I'll be there in twenty.'  
'Okay, see you soon. Remember to use that new code to get through security.'   
'Will do.' The comlink turned off, leaving Finn slightly anxious. He couldn't shake the feeling that something bad had happened.  
'Are you alright?' asked Rose, already picking up her bag. It was time to go back to the office for her too, there was no point delaying the inevitable.  
'Not really,' admitted Finn, getting up and pushing his chair back under the table, making sure they had left everything tidy. 'I've got a bad feeling.'  
They walked back to Monument Plaza, noticing that it was going to rain soon. The sky was thick with grey clouds and there was a feeling of dampness in the air. When they reached the Senate, Finn said goodbye to Rose, 'It was good to catch up. See you later?'  
'Of course,' she said, embracing him closely and kissing him softly on the cheek. 'I hope it's nothing too bad.'  
'What? Oh, yeah, with Poe. I'm sure it's nothing, I just can't help feeling...' He trailed off, his Force-heightened senses filling him with all sorts of emotions - anxiety being the most dominant. However, he couldn't place whether it was coming from him, or from somewhere else. 'Anyway, I better go.'  
'Bye.' Rose watched him disappear into the building's entrance, swallowed up by the heightened security measures inside to protect the Chancellor. Sending positive thoughts Finn's way, Rose walked off towards her own office building just as the first spots of rain started to fall on the pavement.

To be continued...


End file.
